Full text of "Sinc Link"

See other formats

SINC-LINK

Vol.8 No. 2 Mar-Apr '90

SINC-LINK IS A PUBLICATION OF
THE TORONTO TIMEX-SINCLAIR USERS
CLUB AND IS ISSUED 6 TIMES A
YEAR. COPIES OF THE NEWSLETTER
ARE $1.50 EACH FOR NON-MEMBERS.
CLUB MEMBERS RECEIVE FREE COPIES
AS PART OF THE $20.00 ANNUAL
MEMBERSHIP FEE. A NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY IS AVAILABLE
FOR $12.00.

NEWSLETTERS ARE EXCHANGED, FREE
OF CHARGE, WITH OTHER
TIMEX-SINCLAIR USERS GROUPS.

PLEASE CREDIT THIS PUBLICATION
AND THE AUTHOR IF YOU COPY
MATERIAL.

THE CLUB MEETS ON THE FIRST
WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT
FOREST HILLS COLLEGIATE
INSTITUTE, 7 JO EGLINTON AVE. W. ,
TORONTO. START TIME: 7:00 PM.

SEND CORRESPONDANCE TO:

Attention: SINC-LINK
TORONTO TIMEX-SINCLAIR
CLUB, 14 RICHOME
SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO,
CANADA M1K 2Y1

EDITOR
USERS
COURT,

TORONTO TIMEX-SINCLAIR
USERS CLUB

SPRING
AHEAD
ISSUE

DEDICATED TO
TAKING YOUR
MIND OFF THESE
TAXING TIMES

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS:

PRESIDENT:
TREASURER
SECRETARY
ACTIVITIES:
TAPE LIBRARIAN ZX81 :
TAPE LIBRARIAN 2068:
TAPE LIBRARIAN QL:
PAPER LIBRARIAN:
NEWSLETTER :
LIAISON OFFICER:
( Out-of-town members )

RENE BRUNEAU ( 531-9749 )

BILL LAWSON ( 444-8772 )

GEORGE CHAMBERS ( 751-7559 )

RENE BRUNEAU ( 531-9749 )

LYMAN PAQUETTE ( 482-4479 )

RENATO ZANNESE ( 635-6536 )

HUGH HOWIE ( 634-4929 )

JEFF TAYLOR ( 244-8583 )

GEORGE CHAMBERS, 14 RICHOME COURT,

SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO, M1K 2Y1

( 416-751-7559 )

TORONTO T I MEX-S I NCLA I R USERS CLUB

Editorial

Ready for a couple of scary
words? Hardware projects!
Doesn't that send a shiver down
your spine? Does the thought of
taking a red hot soldering iron
to the innards of your precious
computer make you break out in
a cold sweat? Good.

Now that I've had some fun,
let me point out that ordinary
people just like yourself are
busy soldering and snipping and
building hardware projects for
Timex-Sinclair computers every
day and nothing awful happens to
them. Unless you think that
gaining a little knowledge or
enjoying that glow of
satisfaction you get from
creating something that works is
so awful .

Just look at yours truly. I am
hardly what you'd call a
computer whiz. I'm really just
a user. I can barely program in
BASIC, know no machine code,
don't understand how the
computer works and think that
electronics are black magic.
But, I am curious as to what my
computers are capable of. If I
can attach a gizmo that allows
me to talk to other computers at
1200 baud or enhance the quality
of my video display or expand
the storage capacity of my
computer then I think that's
really neat. I'm just an average
user who has a lot of
curiousity. Am I so different
from you? I don't think so.

To date I have added a
keyboard and an internal static
RAM to my TS1000, built a serial
interface cable and an RGB
buffer for my QL, and assembled
an RS232 interface and an
internal RGB buffer for my
TS2068. And I'm working on a
video digitiser right now. Why?
Because all these hardware
projects improve the

capabilities of my computers and
who doesn't want that?

In the next few issues we'll

be running articles about
projects we think you'll be
interested in. Is there
something you'd especially like
to see? Let us know. Have you
built something that you'd like
to share your experience with
us? We'd like to hear from you.
After all this is your
newsletter, so make your
interests known.

Hope to hear from you. That's
all for now. . .

J.T.

FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE

1 ZX81 Computer, with P/S,

T6K RAM, cords, tapes, books, et

Best offer

Call S. Speirs (416 485 5496)
37 Donegal I Drive,
Toronto, Ont M4G 3G6

"But we can't phase him out.
He's the only one who can spell. "

StMPKINS IN WORLD PRESS REVIEW

S INC- LINK

3X| O ~T EI IP- CD O K

Here is a utility for the Larken DOS which will read the header information for each file on a disk and give you th
first track number, start address, the length, and in the case of BASIC programs, the autostart line number.

I usually make a copy of this information for each disk and tuck it inside the sleeve; it comes in very handy when
you need to know this data and you have a program loaded that yau are working on. For example, you might be putting in
a line to save a particular cede file and have to indicate the start address and length. Finding it on the slip inside
the sleeve will save some time and frustration.

The first listing is the boot file to load and control the code. The second listing is the BASIC ready for the
compiled program you will make using Timachine. The program was first Britten by George Chambers and I have made some
minor adjustments to provide space for track numbers with three digits as with Quad Drives and to show the word 'none'
;jhen there is no autostart line number in a BASIC program.

Type both of these in carefully and save them a couple of times before doing the compilation. I have included some
notes after some lines; of course, these are not to be typed in.

Listing #1 (Header Reader Boot File)

.'COMMENTS

10 REM reader boot. Designed for use with wide printer.
50 RANDOMIZE USR 100: LOAD 'reader. Cc" CODE 40000
100 OUT 127,15

110 RANDOMIZE USR 100: OPEN #V dd"

120 PRINT #4: CLOSE #3

130 PRINT #4: OPEN #5,Mp"

140 PRINT #4: POKE 16090,39

150 PRINT #4: POKE 16094,8

160 INPUT "drive? (0-3) Ndrv

170 PRINT #4: 60 TO drv

180 RANDOMIZE USR 40000

200 INPUT •another? (l=yes 0=no) Van

210 IF an THEN GO TO 160

220 IF NOT an THEN PRINT #4: GO TO 4: PRINT 14: NEW
300 PRINT #4: SAVE 'reader. Br LINE 1

:load compiled code

•'set condensed mode

:set LKDOS PRINT #4 command

: close LKDOS stream #3

:open stream #5 to wide printer

:set width of line to 40

.'set left margin at 8

:pick a drive

Activate header reader code
:do another or quit?

:if NO then load RAMDISK autostart file (see note)*.
:G0 here to save.

•Klf you want to quit to some other drive number, just adapt this line to your needs.
PRINT #4: NEW means load the autostart in the disk drive selected.

Just remember:

Listing #2 (Header Reader File ready for Compilation)

90 REM !USR 40000
100 REM ! OPEN t
170 RESTORE 210

180 FOR n=VAL •63000' TO VAL •hWTf
190 READ a: POKE n,a
200 NEXT n

210 DATA 195,43,246,195,72,246,195,104,246,243
220 DATA 205,98,0,201,58,100,0,251,201,205
230 DATA 33,246,58,176,92,50,29,32,205,126
240 DATA 0,205,123,0,33,112,32,17,156,224
250 DATA 1,0,20,237,176,195,38,246,205,33
260 DATA 246,58,176,92,50,29,32,33,156,224
270 DATA 17,112,32,1,0,20,237,176,205,150
280 DATA 0,205,126,0,205,120,0,195,38,246
290 DIM c*(448)
300 DIM 1(100)
310 DIM d$(100,10)

320 LET trac=23728: LET loadbuf=63000

330 LET oo=0 : LET oa=i: LET ob=2: LET oc=3:

: forces compilation to start at add. 40000
:Timachine Command

: pokes code in lines 210-280
:into addresses 63000 to 63077

:this code loads/saves directory
: track contents from disk to
: buffer area at 57500

: array to make 14 blank lines
:array to store 100 numbers
: array to store 100 names

:some variables to save memory

SINC-LJNK

LET go=4: LET :e=f : LET of =6 : LET og=7:
LET f=oo: LET :=oo

340 LET name=57688: LET buffer=5750O

550 BORDER oa: PAPER oa: CLS

360 PRINT AT ob,oe; INK ogi PAPER oa;' LARKEN DISK
UTILITY '?AT od,ob;'Header Reader by G. Chatters'; AT
ofjodi'Coipiled by Bob Mitchell-

370 INK ogLPLOT oo,VAL '108": DRAW oo,VAL
"62*: DRAW VAL '255', oo: DRAW oo,VAL '-62':
DRAW VAL " -255", oo

380 INK og: PLOT VAL ,8,,VAL '114": DRAW oo,VAL
"50": DRAW VAL '238', oo: DRAW oo,VAL '-50":
DRAW VAL ,-238',oo: INK og

385 INPUT 'printout? y/n '? LINE y$

386 LET 5=2

387 IF y$=V OR y$='Y" THEN INPUT '3=152040 5=WIDE "is

388 PRINT #s

390 INPUT 'Enter No. 4 Date (max 14)" LINE g$:
IF LEN g$>14 THEN LET g$=g$( TO 14)

395 PRINT #0;' Place disk to be read in correctdrive
then press a key": PAUSE oo

400 REM Get nates trot Trk 0

410 POKE tracioo: RANDOMIZE USR loadbuf

420 PRINT AT of+oc,oo;c$( TO 320)

440 FOR n=oa TO 100

450 LET e=n

460 IF PEEK (name+oc)=oo THEN LET e=n-oa: LET n=100:
GO TO 530

470 IF PEEK (name+oa)=254 THEN LET name=name+34:

GO TO 460
480 FOR »=oa TO 9

490 LET d$(n,t)=CHR* PEEK (name+m)
500 NEXT n

510 LET l(n)=PEEK (nate+11)
520 LET name=narae+34
530 NEXT n

540 as : PRINT #s;'DISK HEADER DATA: 8;g$

545 PRINT #s?' '

550 PRINT #s ; "TRACK NAME START LENGTH S/Ln'
570 PRINT #s

590 PRINT #0;VH returns to menu)': PRINT AT oc,oo

620 FOR t=oa TO e:

630 IF PEEK 23689<og THEN 50 TO 830

650 POKE tracl(t): RANDOMIZE USR loadbuf

67Q IF PEEK (buffer+oa)Ooo THEN

680 IF PEEK (buffer+oa)=oo THEN 50 TO 300

685 PRINT #s;PEEK (buffer+oa);TAB od;

690 FOR a=(buffer+ob) TO (buffer+10)

700 PRINT ts',CHR$ PEEK a;

710 NEXT a

720 LET 5tart=oo: FOR a=(buffer+ob) TO (buffer+10):
IF PEEK a=46 AND (PEEK <a+oa)=67 OR PEEK (a+oa)=65)
THEN LET start=oa

730 NEXT a

740 PRINT #s;TAB 145PEEK <buffer+12)+256*PEEK
(buffer+13);

750 PRINT #5? TAB 21 1 PEEK <buffer+22)+256*PEEK

(buffer+23);

760 LET len=PEEK (buffer+17)+256*PEEK (buffer* 18 )+oa
770 IF len=A5535 THEN LET len=-l

: buffer starts 3 57500; file nates 188 bytes later

: variable <s> is display device

■•if s=2, data goes to screen

:if s=3, to TS2040J if s=5, to wide printer

:put in I.D.

: chooses trk 0 and loads it to buffer
: prints 10 blank lines

: counts names found

:if PEEK=0 then search ends

:if PEEK=254 then look for next name

:this loop gets the name

:gets first track nutter

:S/Ln=Autostart Line I

:this loop loads first track of each file nate
:frora each file to get required data

sprints track #
:then the prog, name

iidentifies BASIC files as '0'
:others as T

:prints start address

:then file length

:gets the autostart line
:takes it -1 if 65535

SINC-LINK

730 IF start=oo AND- Ien<>-1 THEN PRINT #s?TAB 27;len:
SO TO 800

785 IF start=oo AND len=-l THEN PRINT #s?TAB 27;,nonei:

50 TO 800
790 PRINT #s

300 IF IM<EY$="b" OR INKEY$="fl' THEN STOP

810 next t

820 PRINT TAB od; PAPER obi'Last file on the disk1:
LET f=oa

825 IF s<>2 THEN PRINT ts"""
830 IF z=oo AND NOT f THEN PRINT AT 19,0a;' Press any
key to clear screen'

840 IF z=oo AND INKEY$=" THEN €0 TO 840

m IF IhKEY$='»s OR INKEY$=*M' THEN STOP

870 PRINT AT od,oo;c$;AT og,ooic$: PRINT AT oc,oo

880 GO TO 630

1010 IF INKEYSOV OR INKEYfO'M' THEN CLS :
PRINT AT o^oaJ'Press any key for next record':
PAUSE 0: GO TO 350
8900 REM ! CLOSE t

9000 RANDOMIZE USR 100: SAVE 'reader.Bp'

:if a BASIC file with an autostart line

:then print line #

:if no autostart line, print 'none'

:if ienu called, STOP; ie, BREAK into BASIC
: finally, sote on-screen protpts

:Tinachine Coaaand
:G0 here to SAVE.

CHANGING THE NAME OF A DISK

When you format a new disk, you can assign a name to the
disk. But it is impossible to change that name after the disk
has been formatted unless you reformat the disk and all the data
on this disk will be lost.

The fallowing program ( by Real Gagnon of QlLDOC ) mill
correct this situation. You can now rename a disk "without having
to reformat the disk.

When you run the program, you will be asked for the number
af the disk drive ( e.g. 1 , 2 , 3 or 4 ) . This program will
only work with disk "" floppies and you cannot rename

microdrives. The program will then display the name of the disk
and will ask you for the proposed name. The limit is 10
characters.

As usual a copy pf the program will be available from the
librarian H. Howie.

Louis Laferriere

100 RENark Disk_RE_Name
110 REMark by Real Gagnon
120 :

130 REPeat loop

140 PRINT *0. "Disk #.

145 d$-INKEY$(-l)

150 IF d$ INSTR ' 123456789 PRINT #0,d*; EXIT loop
160 END REPeat loop
165 :

170 OPEN*10,"flp"&d$&"_*D2D"
180 :

190 GET*10\l.a$

200 PRINTtO. "Present name :"'a$(5 TO 14)
210 INPUTtO. "New name : "!n$

220 LET a$(5 TO 15)-n$
230 PVT#10\l.a$

240 :

250 CLOSEtlO

SINC-LINK

Revised fros last issue

Q L I P S

We nave ail had that "crashing11
experience with the QL, and I
wonder how often the crash is our
own fault? My own little beast
dz burden had a problem at one
time, but after some operation on
its innards, the crashing was not
quite so frequent, until recently
that is, when I installed a
plastic Carpet saver under my
chair. This, combined with our
present day mixture of wool and
man-made fabrics, both in our
upholstery and our clothing, made
an ideal breeding ground for
STATIC.

The problem seemed to arise when
I used the printer, I had also
noticed that when I left the Work
Station, and returned, I was
often welcomed with a little jolt
to my fingers as I approached the
QL and/or my Music Centre which
is within reach of the QL.

The solution?

I use a sheet of thick corrugated
card- board on top of my desk, on
which my equipment rests, (it is
easier on the arms than wood). So
I went to the hard- ware store and
bought a roll of Aluminum Tape,
about 1 1/2 inches wide, the kind
used in duct- work. Now don't get
the fabric type, get the METAL
type. I placed a strip along the
front of my desk, about an inch
from the edge and along the end,
to the back of my desk. From
there, I attached a piece of
wire, which goes to the caseing
of my disk power supply, which is
the nearest ground I could get.
To attach the wire to the
aluminum strip, I bare an end of
wire about two inches back, make
this into a loose coil, lay it on
top of the card- board, and place
the tape on top of the coil. The
other end is attached to the
power supply by using one of the
screws on the cover.

CAUTION: - Ensure that the
aluminum tape is cleaned a little
at this point, as the adhesive is
not always conductive material.

Next step is to get some Scotch
Tape, about 3/4 inch wide, and
lay a strip of this along both
edges of the aluminum tape,
ensuring you do not cover up too
much of the width of the aluminum
tape. The reason for placing
Scotch Tape along the edge of the
aluminum tape, is to help prevent
the edge of the aluminum tape
from lifting, also, if the
aluminum tape should wear out a
bit in the centre, then there
should always be a complete
circuit under the Scotch Tape.
Follow me ? ( Check continuity )
You must ensure there is an ample
width of aluminum tape available
for hand and arm contact, in the
middle of the strip.

To finish this off, solder into
the wire to ground, a one meg-ohm
resistor. This will allow the
static charge to bleed away
slowly, thus eliminating the
little jolt you might get when
you touch the strip.

Now, when I approach my console,
my hands MOST pass over or TOUCH
this strip, grounding myself out.
When I turn aside to the printer,
I am always cautious to touch the
strip, and also when I return to
the computer, I again touch the
strip. I do not have to
consciously do this, as my hands
have to cross this strip to reach
ANY equipment on the desk.

(The least amount of movement can
set up a static charge. )

The shiny appear ence is a
constant reminder of a static
possibilty.

It costs only a few dollars, but
can save so much damage being
done, to nerves and equipment.

SINC-LINK

H.H.H.

PENETRATOR - a TS2068 game
Modifying it to the La r ken system
by G.Chambers

PENETRATOR is an older arcade tame for the
TS2068, that was put out by Timex in 1983. It
is readily converted to Larken disk operation.
Simply use a Header Reader to locate the
program code; and inspect the front end Basic
to find the start USR address.

However the program contains a Landscape
Editor to allow you to modify the game. This
Editor also allows you to save the modified
landscapes code to tape, and to reload it. The
challenge was to convert this feature to the
Larken system.

The program code proved difficult to break
out of, once the game was started. Often it is
possible to break out of a m/c program by using
the NMI-button and either pressing the A key
or doing a SAVE to a protected disk. However,
in this case every use of the NMI-button
resulted in a system crash. This was going to
make things difficult.

With Spectrum programs the first thing I
usually do is to search for a CALL to a LOAD
routine in the ROM. I do a FOR/NEXT loop
looking for appearances of a 205, followed by
an 86 and a 5, In the Spectrum parlance this
could mean a CALL to address 1366, the start of
the Spectrum LOAD routine. In this case it was
a TS2068 program, so that meant complications
since the SAVE/LOAD routines for the TS2068 are
in the EX ROM. I found that the program could be
loaded, and would work in both the Spectrum and
the TS2068 modes. This meant that the SAVE/LOAD
routines were not in the ROM at all, but were
imbedded in the program itself.

Since there was not likely to be any call
to address 1366, and the location of the
LOAD/SAVE routines were unknown, I then looked
for a LD IX instruction (221) in the code,
again using a FOR/NEXT loop. The LD IX
instruction is used as a preface to most every
SAVE and LOAD instruction. I wrote the FOR/NEXT
loop so that every time it encountered an
address containing a 221 it would print out a
value based on the contents of the next two
addresses. I multiplied contents of the
higher- numbered address by 256 and added it to
the contents of the lower address. If there was
an LD IX used in a LOAD or SAVE routine this
would give me a starting address. I'm looking
for clues.

I found quite a number of promising
addresses. I Then loaded a disassembler at
address 48000 (the disassembler ,,spec48.Cc,,
found on the club Larken disk #17). In loading,
it overwrote part of the program code, but I
guessed that the code we wanted to look at was
below address 48000. If it had been higher I
would have loaded "spec28.Cc" at 28000. I
looked over the addresses and identified
several promising ones. They contained
sequences of LD A, 0 ; LD IX 47117; and LD DE,
7376. These are hot prospects for SAVE/LOAD m/c
routines.

When I reloaded the program code, and then
did a series of USR calls to these addresses I
produced tape LOAD and tape SAVE effects. I
explored the code further and found a USR call
that would produce the screen instructions for
the SAVE and LOAD actions. I was hot on the
trail!

My first thought was to have the program
exit to Basic to do the load and save routines
from Basic. However I could not seem to exit
gracefully from the program; my understanding
of m/c programming leaves something to be
desired! What I then decided to do was to
employ a variation of a m/c routine that I had
used earlier in the program SNODGITS. I would
arrange that the program, instead of calling up
the tape routines, would call up my own
disk- save and disk- load routines. The
PENETRATOR program code started at 32768, so I
chose to locate my code at 32000.

Now, the disk routines require that a name
be given to the program to be saved. What
better than to make use of the name that one
enters at the Editor portion of the program.
This is fine, but now it was necessary to
locate where the name was stored in the program
code. I loaded the program, ran it, went into
the landscape editor SAVE mode, entered a name,
and just prior to the tape-SAVE I did an
NMI-save. I had to do this because there was no
way that I could break out of a running
program. What I therefore planned to do was to
inspect the program using the "doctor, B1"
program ( "doctor. B1" is a Larken utility on the
club Larken disk #1).

Now, I had a fairly good idea of where the
landscape name might be located. Earlier, when
I did an experimental SAVE of a landscape, and
had tried to read the header, I found that it
was an unusual header. I won't go into details
about it, except to say that I found the word
"GARBAGE" in it. I therefore did a search for
this word in the program, using the ASCII
printout feature of the "spec48.Cc"
disassembler program. I had located it at about
address 47126, so I explored that area, with
"doctor.BI", as I mentioned. And was
successful.

I found there was space reserved for a
6-character name at address 47117. I decided to
POKE a ",C1" in the three addresses immediately
following the name. These addresses contained
the start of the word "GARBAGE" I mentioned
earlier. I reasoned that this was likely to be
unused in the Larken mode. I found that the
program would accept only 6-character names.
That is to say, when the programs asked for a
name it would only act on the first 6
characters. This, added to the ",C1" that I
placed in the program would make up a proper
Larken name.

I also went through the program and
changed several instruction sequences which
referred to TAPE, making them DISK. I ignored
the tape verification routine, though it could
have been deleted.

The disk LOAD/SAVE routine used in the
SN0DGIT program had to be modified to suit this
particular application, I wrote separate disk
SAVE and LOAD routines; and modified the
PENETRATOR code addresses 46659 (LOAD) , and
46843 (SAVE) to CALL the appropriate routine.
Why those two addresses? Well, these were the
addresses of the CALLs to the tape SAVE and
LOAD routines, so I simply did a redirect to my
disk routines.

Now, the Larken SAVE routine requires that
the starting address and length of the code to
be saved (and loaded) be specified. Because of
the unusual nature of the tape SAVE headers it
was not possible to determine this information

SINC-LINK

7 0 FOR n= 32000 TO 32128
20 READ a: POKE n, a
50 NEXT n
WO DATA 195,0,128,0,0,0,205,30

, 125, 195,0, 128,0,0,0

101 DATA 205,80, 125, 195,0, 128,0
,0,0,0,0^0,0,0,0

102 DATA 243,0,205,98,0,33, 1 3, 1
84, 17,34,32, 1, 10,0,237

103 DATA 176,62,11,50,2,32,205,
1 98, 0, 33, 0, 208, 34,51 , 32

104 DATA 33,208,28,34,49,32,205
,201 ,0, 58, 100,0,251 ,201 ,0

105 DATA 0,0,0,0,0,0,243,0,205,
98,0,33, 13, 184, 17

106 DATA 34,32, 1 , 10,0,237, 176,6
2, 1 1 ,50,2,32,205,204,0

107 DATA 33,0,208,34,51 ,32,33,2
08, 28, 34, 49, 32, 205, 207, 0

108 DATA 58,100,0, 251 ,201 ,0,0,0

,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

from the tape headers. A close look at the tape
SAVE routine in the PENETRATOR code showed a LD
IX, 53248 and a LD DE, 7376. These could
indicate a starting address 53248 and code
length of 7376 bytes and seemed promising. The
code contained other possible numbers, however
the above were put into the 'disk* code, and
proved to be correct.

The Disk code was arranged so that after a
SAVE or a LOAD function was completed, a JUMP
was made to address 327 68, the start of the
program. This was similar to the original
program operation.

That was about it except to do a SAVE of the
new code block 32000,33535 that included the
modified program code plus the two disk
routines.

******************************

471 12

471 13

471 14

471 15

471 16

471 17

471 18

471 19

47120

47121

47122

47123

47124

47125

47126

47127

47128

47129

47130

47131

47132

47133

46650

205

46651

46652

125

46653

46654

46843

205

46844

46845

125

46846

46847

31999
32000
32003
32004

32005

32006

32009
32012
32013

32014

32015
32018
32021

32022

C30O80
00
00
00

CD1E7D

C30080

CD507D
C30080
00
00

NOP

JP 32768

NOP

CALL 32030

JP 32768

NOP

CALL 32080
JP 32768.
NOP.

NOP

■55030

32031

NOP

32032

CD6200

CALL

32035

210DB8

32038

112220

32041

010A00

32044

EDB0

LDIR

32046

3E0B

32048

320220

32051

CDC600

CALL

32054

2100D0

32057

223320

32060

21D01C

32063

223120

32066

CDC900

CALL

32069

3A6400

32072

32073

32074

HL, 47117

DE.8226

BC.10

A, 11

(8194), A
198

HL, 53248
(8243), HL
HL.7376
(824l),HL
201

A, (100)

NOP

32082

NOP

32083

CD6200

CALL

32086

210DB8

HL, 47117

32089

112220

DE,8226

32092

010A00

BC.10

32095

EDB0

LDIR

32097

3E0B

A, 11

(8194). A

32099

320220

32102

CDCC00

CALL

204

32105

2100D0

HL. 53248

32 108

223320

(8243), HL

32111

21D01C

HL.7376

32114

223120

(824l),HL

32117

CDCF00

CALL

207

32120

3A6400

A. (100)

32123

32124

RET

32125

NOP

SINC-LINK

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Left

Center

Right

by Mike Felerski

Anyone who uses a wordprocessing program has
done it. Greeting card programs even do it.
But what if I want to do it in my own
p rog rams?

If you are not lost yet, what I am
speaking of is LEFT, CENTER, and RIGHT
Justification of text lines on a screen
display or on a hard copy printout. Left
justification is when the first character of
each line of text in a paragraph lines up
evenly across the left margin of the screen or
page. For example, this paragraph is left
justified.

Center justification is placing the text line,
headline or paragraph in the middle of the
screen or page, like this paragraph.

Center justification is just placing the
text line, headline or paragraph in the middle
of the screen or page, like this paragraph.

The other evening I found that I needed
some routines that would allow me to left,
center, and right justify a string (t$) of
text for display. The three routineds which
are discussed here accomplish this by making
a copy of the text string and then placing
each character back into the original string
in the new format (see Listing B).

10 REM Justify It

20 REM by Mike Felerski

30 LET max=32

40 DIM t$(max)

50 DIM o$(max)

60 DIM r$(32)

7 0 POKE 23658,8
100 GO SUB 300
110 LET t$=r$

112 PRINT AT 14,5;"(L)eft"

120 PRINT AT 15,5;"(C)enter"

130 PRINT AT 16,5;"(R)ight"

140 INPUT "Choice? ";c$

150 IF c$="L" THEN GO SUB 400
0: GO SUB 200: GO TO 110

160 IF c$="C" THEN GO SUB 4100
: GO SUB 200: GO TO 110

170 IF c$="R" THEN GO SUB 4200
: GO SUB 200: GO TO 110

180 GO TO 140

200 REM Clear and Print

205 PRINT AT 8,0; "54321 9876543
2100123456789 12345"

210 PRINT AT"10,0;t$: RETURN

300 REM Enter String

310 PRINT AT 20,0; "Enter String

";max;" Chars Max"

320 INPUT r$: LET t$=r$: GO SUB

200: RETURN

Listing A

The routines assume that the text string is
stored in t$ and that the size of both t$ and
o$ are DIMensioned to max.'o$ is used as the
temporary string. Listing A is a demo/main
routine that let us enter, justify, and
re-display it.

4000 REM Left Justify
4005 LET o$=tS: LET pos=0
4010 IF oS(pos+l)=CHRS 32 THEN
LET pos=pos+1 : GO TO 4010
4020 IF pos=0 THEN RETURN
4030 FOR x=pos+1 TO max: LET tS(
l)=o$(x)c LET i=i+1: NEXT x
4040 FOR x=1 TO max: LET t$(x)=C
IIR$ 32: NEXT x
4050 RETURN

4100 REM Center Justify
4110 GO SUB 4000: LET o$=t$: LET
pos=max

4120 IF o$(pos)OCHR$ 32 THEN G
O TO 4150

4130 LET pos=pos-1: IF pos=0 THE
N GO TO 4150
4140 GO TO 4120

4150 LET pos=(INT ( (max-pos)/2)+
1)

4160 FOR x=1 TO pos-1: LET t$(x)
=CHR$ 32: NEXT x
4170 LET i = 1

4180 FOR x=pos TO max: LET t$(x)
=o$(i): LET i=i + 1c NEXT x
4199 RETURN

Listing B

Once the listings A, B, and C are typed in,
RUN the program, enter some text, and then
test the options to see the routines at work.
If you are using ZEBRA SYSTEMS OS64, then try
replacing line 30 with LET max«64. You may
also replace the PRINT statement in line 210
with an LPRINT.

4200 REM Right Justify

4205 LET o$=t$: LET pos=max+1

4220 IF o$(pos-1)OCHR$ 32 THEN

GO TO 4230
4222 LET pos=pos- 1
4225 IF pos=0 THEN RETURN
4227 GO TO 4220
4230 LET i=max

4235 FOR x=pos-1 TO 1 STEP -1: L
ET t$(i)=o$(x): LET i=i-lc NEXT
x

4240 FOR x=i TO 1 STEP -1: LET t
$(x)=CHR$ 32: NEXT x
4250 RETURN

Listing C

The theory behind the routines is to find
the first non-blank character in the string
whose position is placed in pos. We look left
to right, to left justify; and right to left,
to right justify. This is the point at which
we start to pick out each character and place
them from o$ into t$, starting at t$(l) or
t$(max) for left or right justification
respectively .

In order to center the string, we first
left justify the string, using a GOSUB 4000 so
there is less guess work as to where the first
non blank character is. Then we count back
through the string, looking for the first
non-blank character, starting from position
max. We then take this value (pos), divide it
by two and add 1 (adding 1 is optional per
programmer's taste). This then gives us the
starting lefthand position within the string.
Finally the characters are picked and placed
just as in the left and right routines.

Retyped from the I,S,T,U,G newsletter, .by GFC
(with minor revisions to the listings)

SJNC-LINK

M Q D E M S

Aooui a year ago, it was mentioned that
Koaeas were available at a very good price, ana
sose leaders got thei. Then in July this year,
it was announced that acre aodeas had been
releasee oy Bell. The first lot were priced at
$42, ana tne latter at $67.50. The difference
15 tnat tne latter lot at $67. 50, are Smart
Modeas, Hayes coipatible, and are Auto Dial.
So after seeing tne deao Jeff Taylor put on. I
was hooicec , I just had to get one of thei
things. I sent away for it, and got it back two
weess iater. Pretty good service.

The aodet is 18" long 6" wide, and about 1 1/4
hign. Nice light-grey plastic with darker
cover. The lower lip sticks out about an inch,
and this contains ail the lights, as well as
Pressure Neaorane switches. There are 5
nuabered switcnes to carry aost-used numbers in
ieiory. Tnere are actually 3$ aeaory cells in
:ne iodei. inside, iany flip-out chips for ease
of repair if ever needed.

Installation was staple, or should have been.
When i connected it all up, I could not get a
dialling tone froa the phone, I eventually
found (with the assistance of Senen Racki),
that the wall receptacle was aore tolerant than
the aodea, to ay phone plug. After changing
that plug, I was in business. Such a saall
thing.

The aodea operates either in TERMINAL or in
COMPUTER aode. To switch froa Terainal to
Coaputer Node, you have to flip off the cover,
and change a juaper plug over. Takes longer to
tell than it does to do.

In Terainal Node the controls on the front are
operative, but not in Coaputer Mode, as all the
coaaands coae froa the keyboard. The lights of
course perfora their functions in all aodes. I
elected for Coaputer Mode.

I then loaded in 'Q-Code Terainal" and
proceeded to enter soae nuibers into the
Directory, in anticipation of going On-Line. Of
course the first tiae I use it I want to use
the Auto Dial feature, but find that this does
not work. I can Manual dial through the
keyboard, and after I get the aessage CONNECT,
I can press two periods, and get on line that
way, but that is not Auto Dial. I can go
through a whole bundle of trial and error,
whuch is of little interest to anyone , what
does aatter is how I went on Auto, at least how
I did it.

In our hurry to get involved we are inclined to
toss the aanuai aside, not reading it properly,
so after a few failures I went back to the
aanuai, re-read it, and tanaged to work out
what works. For ae.

The answer would appear to De to go to the
PASSWORDS, and I enter this for each nuaber: -

— > ATDPtnuaber..H

AT Attention (UPPER CASE IS A MUST)

0 Dial (FOR ALL COMMANDS)

P Pulse.
I

nuaber Nuaber to be called

Two periods

M CTRL+M (Carriage return)

A lot of ay initial trouflie was I was using
Lower Case.

When you go to Directory ( F3 D ) You select
the nuaber you wish to call, press T and then
'F2'. You will now hear a lot of beeps clicks
and clacks froa the aodea, dialling tone, and
ringing tone, and if you are lucky a voice will
coae froa the speaker in the aodea, you then
pick up the receiver and talk. Should you be
calling a BBS, the word 'CONNECT' will flash on
the screen, instructions will appear, and you
don't have to touch the receiver.

Using on screen cursor select nuaber froa
Directory, Press T Press 'F2*

I have not yet tried to transfer files to or
froa as yet, as I have only had this for a
week. The real reason for this aissive is to
let everyone know that there are still soae of
those aodeas left, and where to get thea. Both
eodels are available.

Rixon 212A data set for $42.M Plus post.

GDC 212A/ED+ for $67. 5e Plus post.

Froa Mr Croft B. Taylor
Telecoa Canada
416 Laurier Ave. tf.
Rooa 4 id

Ottawa. Ont. KIP 6H5

You will find Mr Taylor very helpful if you
have a problea. Make reaittance out to Croft
B. Taylor and NOT to Telecoa.

Hugh H. Howie.

SINC-

LINK

PRINTER PROSE

About three months ago I decided that I had
oeen wishing for a printer for long enough,
agonizing over whether I really NEEDED to
spend that kind of money on my "hobby". (Sound
familiar?) I finally talked myself (read 'my
wife') into it and made the plunge. As a
result, George Chambers asked me to describe
my experience (so blame him for this).

The interface, a Tasman 'B' I think, was
provided by a former club member through
George. The first thing I did upon receipt,
and before reading the instructions, was load
the Tasman driver software and tried to LLIST
the BASIC. On the first attempt, I got a
single line of characters which had been
overprinted many times. I read the printer
manual and found a possible solution. It
required a DIP switch adjustment. That done,
the LLISTing worked fine.

I then attempted to print a screen COPY.
Unfortunately, this time, each pass of the
print head was separated by a line, I decided
it was time to read the interface
instructions.

Upon doing that I found I was able to specify
the correct codes for Line Feed and Carriage
Return for my printer quite easily by
following the instructions in the BASIC
program. I also had to reset the DIP switch!
(The Moral is - READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST!)

Having cleared the first two hurdles, I
decided it was time to try out some of the
fancy fonts of my Panasonic KX-P1180. It was
possible, after a fashion, to do this from the
control panel of the printer. However, I
wanted the computer to do it! Therefore, I
looked up the section on sending control codes
to the printer in the manual and wrote a short
BASIC program to print text in Enlarged mode.

You guessed it, it didn't work.

For several hours, over two nights, I tried,
using both the Tasman driver and the V3 Larken
driver, with no luck. I was stumped. I reread
the interface manual, back issues of this
newsletter and all my magazines, over and over
until I was about to give up. Then I saw my
mistake .

In all the literature, it stated to send an
ESC character (CHR$ 27) prior to sending the
control sequence for the font required.
However, as I finally discovered, the Tasman
interface software is different. It requires
an ESC prior to each code in the escape
sequence in addition to the original ESC code.
For example, with my printer, the code
sequence given in the manual for enlarged text
is ESC+W+1 in ASCII or CHR$ 27; CHR$ 87; CHR$
1 in decimal codes. To get this to work with
the Tasman software, I had to send the
sequence CHR$ 27; CHR$ 27; CHR$ 87; CHR$ 27;
CHR$ 1. Therefore, Moral #2 is - READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY .

I will now mention something else that may not
be common knowledge about the Tasman
interface. It will not work with the Larken
Disk Interface. According to Larry Kenny, it
has to do with the addressing of the Tasman
interface. Apparently it is poorly buffered
(forgive me if I get this wrong Larry) and

interferes with DOS commands. (I now use an
Aerco type interface.) This leads me into the
next part of the story.

Having to load the driver from tape each time
was getting to be a nuisance so I decided to
try using the Larken driver on the Version 3
EPROM. I read the Larken manual and found that
it requires a POKE to set up the driver for
the Tasman. That is, POKE 16096, 1. I also
knew from my past trouble that I didn't want
a Linefeed with the Carriage Return so this
required a POKE 16092, 0.

I was now ready to roll. Or so I thought. I
could send text to the printer all right but
I still could not send the control codes with
the Larken driver. This resulted in another
period of study of back issues. I finally
found the answer (but for the life of me I
can't remember where) in an article for a
different disk system. Apparently, the writer
of the article was having the same problem I
was and asked the designer what the trouble
was. The solution? Send ASCII characters
instead of SINCLAIR characters.

To do this with the Larken you have to bypass
the routine that sends the SINCLAIR character
set to the printer. This poke is found on page
9 of my Larken manual and is POKE 16093, 32.
When this is done, no SINCLAIR tokens will be
sent to the printer and ESC sequences will
work. As a result, the code sequence for
Enlarged text is CHR$27; CHR$ 87; CHR$ 1.
Incidentally, the Larken does not require the
extra CHR$ 27 required by the Tasman driver.

I am still puzzled by one thing however. I
have not been able to send control codes using
the OUT 127, CODE that I have since seen in
programs published in this newsletter. I have
checked the values for my computer (using the
familiar PRINT IN 127) and found them to be
237 when ready and 233 when not ready. All I
have gotten so far is widely spaced lines and
characters, nothing like the effect I was
trying for. I intend to keep on trying until
I can figure it out but if someone already
knows the answer, please enlighten me.

That about sums up my experience during the
first few days with the printer. I hope this
was a help to someone.

Lionel M. Keeping

Update Magazine

1317 Stratford Ave.
Panama City, FL 32404
904 871 3556

News and New Products

SJNC-LINK

DID YOU KNOW.

2068/Larken tips

DID YOU KNOW. . .

2068/Larken tips

* *

Mscr

exte

the

clea

car r

toge

plac

Mscr

key(

That Tasword files may be loaded into
ipt? Assuming that both use the .CT
nsion and imbedded commands are not used
file will load easily. Theie will be some
n-up required since Tasword doesn't use
iage returns. Some words will end up run
ther and there will be extra spaces in
es bu£ it is relatively easy to fix with
ipts 'insert space' key ( 1 ),' delete '
0) and 'delete left' key(9).

** That Mscript files may be loaded into
Tasword? The conversion isn't quite as easy
as above, but it can be done. Mscript uses
carriage returns (ENTER) and theY will show
up in Tasword as the graphic found on the '8*
key. That is your clue for paragraphs and
blank lines. If you work from the bottom of
the document and come up the paragraphs can
be separated using 'insert line' (SS-AND).
The next step is to delete all leading spaces
for any line. Then the paragraph can be
reformated with 'reformat to end of
paragraph' (SS-STEP) . The paragraph will
probably have some split word3, delete extra
spaces there and reformat again if necessary.
(Taswords ' What-see- ls-what-you -get' format
makes the load into Mscript easier than
vice-versa . )

** That version 3 users can save a block of
disk space when saving Artist II by adding
the line:

1 BEEP 1,1: PAUSE 80
Enter GOTO 1 and press the NMI button when
the long beep ends, press SHIFT and 1.
Version 3 owners can then rename the file by

MOVE "NMI -SI . CM" /"artist.B9M
or whatever name suits you. I use .Bn or .B9
to indicate NMI saves - the change from .C to
.B extension avoids adding 'CODE'. I Imagine
there are other programs that can be done
this way. It also gives you a clean bottom
line when the load is completed.

** If you load a program
in a 0 REM statement that
the OPEN# 4,"dd" command?
often use 0 REM code, so
program if you have used
with OPEN* 4. The solution
removing 'OPENI 4,"dd" ' a
#4* with 'RANDOMISE USR 10
to CLOSE! 4 doesn't reso

This one is in the Larken
I forgot!) The lesson here
Instructions and past SI
often! )

with machine code
you shouldn't use
BytePower programs
don't blame the

a 'boot' program

is as simple as
nd replacing 'PRINT
0 ' . Merely trying
lve this problem,
instructions but

is to reread the
NC-LINKs every so

** That version 3 owners can make any
program pause with the NMI button after
inputting the following one liner:

RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE 16100, 201:
RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE 8214, 16100

The program pauses when you press the
NMI button and may be resumed by pressing the
"F" key.

** That if you all share your tips in
SINC-LINK we could all profit from it!

** that version 3 users can re-boot from
within any program with the NMI-F feature?
This assumes you have an AUTOSTART program
written in Basic in your booting drive.
After writing the pause routine earlier to
stop a game with a count-down clock I
started considering other ways to use this
clever feature. I had been adding the GFC
re-boot routine to my basic programs, but
many MC programs still required turning off
the computer. By installing ttte following
routine in my RAMdisk boot program I can now
re-boot from any program. The heart of this
program is lifted from the instructions in
the LARKEN Disk Editor instruction manual.
Once the program is loaded I merely press
the NMI button, then the "F" key and my
RAMdisk is selected and booted. Obviously
the program can be saved independently and
run from your menu or as you choose.

The first number in line 5 determines which
drive is selected: drive 0 12 3 4

2 4 8 16 128

This program is numbered so that it can be
merged between lines 0 and 10. For a stand-
alone program you may add the following two
lines :

90 RANDOMIZE USR 100: NEW
9000 RANDOMIZE USR 100: SAVE "bo
oter.BI" LINE 1

1 RESTORE 4

2 FOR a=16100 TO 16164

3 READ b: RANDOMIZE USR 100:
POKE afb: NEXT a

A?- 4 DATA *&6, 205 ,98,0,62

5 DATA 128,50,3,32,0,0,0,0,0,
33,27 , 63,17,34,32,1,10,0,237,176
,62,11,50,2,32,205,198,0,42,124,
32,34,51,32,42,134,32,34,49,32,2
05,201,0,62,100,251,201,0,0,0

6 DATA 65,85,84,79,83,84,65,8
2,84,32

7 RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE 821
4, 16100

8 BEEP .5,. 5: PRINT "NMI-F RE
BOOT ACTIVATED": PAUSE 100:CLS

Les Cottrell

Cocoa, FL USA

How it works:
161XX

00 243

01 205,98,0
04 62,128
06 50,3,32
09 0,0,0,0,0
14 33,27,63
17 17,34,32
20 1,10,0

23 237,176
25 62,11
27 50,02,32
30 205,198,0
33 42,124,32
36 34,51,32
39 42,134,32
42 34,49,32
45 205,201,0
48 62,100

50 251

51 201

52 0,0,0
55-64

CALL 98
LD A, 128
LD (8195), A

LD HL, 16155

LD DE,8226

LD BD,10

LDIR

LD A, 11

LD (8194) ,A

CALL 198

LD HL,(8316)

LD (8243),HL

LD HL,(8326)

LD (8241 ),HL

CALL 201

LD A, 100

RET

characters

•.disable intrpt
-.turn on cartridge
•.select drive 4

:delay

:transfer filename
:to prognm

:set MC load flag

: load name
:oestin-start addr
•.store in temp4
:Totlen- length
:store in temp2
:second data
:exit cartridge
•.enable intrpt
:return
:not used
•.AUTOSTART

Les Cottrell

Cocoa, FL USA

SINC-LINK

SPECTRUM MOTHERBOARD

At some time or another, most Spectrum
owners realise the need to connect several
devices simultaneously to the Spectrum's
expansion bus. The normal method which
is employed with commercial interfaces is
simply that of running the bus through the
interface so that the Spectrum's expansion
edge connector is duplicated to facilitate
the connection of other peripherals which
require access to the bus signals.

This seems to work reasonably well
when only one or two interfaces are
stacked together, however, it can be some-
what problematic when a large number of
external boards and devices are present or
when external modules do not possess a
"through bus" facility. The obvious answer

to this problem is the use of a "mother-
board" which makes connection to the
Spectrum's edge connector and provides a
set of identically wired connectors for
external cards and modules.

Norman Belham (from Badsey near
Evesham) has provided a simple but eleg-
ant solution to the problem of constructing
a motherboard based on commonly avail-
able copper stripboard. Norman writes:

Two pieces of Veroboard are placed
back to back (so that the track sizes are
exposed) and held together by a Veropin
placed in each comer. A convenient avail-
able size is 36-strips each with 50-holes
(127mm x95mm).

These pieces are large enough to take a
Spectrum edge connector along one side,
across the copper tracks, and two or three
other connectors standing on the surface. If
more connectors are required,
Veroboard can be obtained 4in. wide and
up to 19in. long cut to length from J. R.
Hartley of Bridgnorth.

According to "Murphy's Law", anything
that can go wrong will and so extreme care
is needed in construction! The double
Veroboard (arranged so that the copper
tracks are outermost) should be inserted
between the rows of pins of the edge con-
nector leaving a space, equal to about half a
pin length, between the edge of the board
and the body of the connector.

The pins should be soldered to the cor-
responding tracks on the top and under-
neath the board. It is best to solder pins at
each end first so that the connector is cor-
rectly located.

When it has been decided just where on
the surface of the board the other connec-

tors are to be placed, it is wise to check that
they are on the top side when the edge con-
nector is mated with the Spectrum. The
pins to be soldered to the top side of the
board should be bent at right angles to their
mid-point (see Fig. 1 for details). This will
make soldering easier when several con-
nectors are in position. A piece of 0.25in.
square section beading can be used as a
bending bar.

The holes through which the other row
of pins reach the lower tracks will require
careful counter-sinking using a small drill
(l/16in. or smaller). Very light pressure
and very few turns are all that is required to
produce an insulating "collar" around each
hole.

Although the specified drill is too small
to cut away the track completely, it is better
not to drill the hole completely. (If a track
is cut accidentally, all is not lost as a small
insulated "jumper" link can be soldered in
place). The pins may then be soldered to
the lower tracks.

Since only 28 of the tracks are used, the
remaining few on either side may be used
for other purposes such as an external
power supply. Rigorous testing with an
Ohmmeter (multimeter set to the "Ohms"
range) is essential to ensure tht there is no
contact between tracks. If, in spite of this,
an unusual graphic display is produced

when the board is attached to the Spec-
trum, there is contact somewhere!

It is also wise to test for continuity be-
tween the pins which should be connected.
With such a large number of soldered con-
nections, a "dry" joint may slip by! Finally,
since the board does not rest on the bench
or table surface when mated with the Spec-
trum, suitable rubber or plastic feet should
be fitted.

The above article also works
on TSIOOOs and 2068s.

This article appeared in the
July 1989 issue of EVERYDAY
ELECTRONICS, a UK magazine
available here. It publishes
a Spectrum column every month.

Fig. 1. Suggested Motherboard
design from Norman Belham of
Badsey.

ttnoioa I

SINC— LINK

BOB -' 5

Notebook

BUS.

, erminology requires
* definitions so that readers
may understand uihat che author
is hying to say- in various
computing texts, articles,
newsletters, even Computer
Shopper, often the writers
assume that the reader Knows
all the terms and Jargon. Here
are a few to help you to
find your way through this
rapidly gr ow ing jungle.,

BflNK-SUITCHING.

This is the ability to use more
than one set of memory chips
at different times, while
giving them different
addresses. This makes it
possible to fit a computer
with more memory than it was
designed for; simply store
some data in one set of chips,
then switch over and use the
other set. The T52068 has only
38652 bytes FREE on start up
and that's for program and
data. By using static RAM
chips mounted in the Lark, en
RAMDISK board, it is possible
to add UP to 256 kilobytes Of
extra memory for data. Even
the XBM PC uses this technique
to expand its memory from the
basic 640K. Bank switching is
also used with the PC on
advanced colour graphics cards-

CHIPS (integrated Circuits).

These are electronic devices
comprising many miniature
transistors and other circuit
elements on a single silicon
wafer about 1/4. inch square.
R static RRM chip used on the
RRMDISK board will store 32K
of data; eight of these will
store 256K.

The ultimate integrated
circuit is the microprocessor
which is a single chip that
contains the complete
arithmetic and logic unit
(central processing unit) of a
compu t e r .

R5-232 (Recofflfended Standard

nrjrjr.i defines a standard way
CJcLrJ of transmitting serial
data by wire. R standard RS-232
cable can link two pieces of
equipment only if one of them
is DCE (Gat a Communications
Equipment) and the other is
DTE (Cat a Terminal Equipment) .
Most computer terminals are
dte; most modems are DCE.
DCE uses conductor 2 for input
and 3 for output; DTE uses
conductor 3 for input and 2
for ou t pu t .

DESKTOP.

The opening screen of a window-
oriented operating syst em i s
called a desktop because it is
a blank space on which various
objects can be placed, hence
Desktop Publishing, which is
being used to do this column.

The bus is the main avenue of
communications in a computer.
It comprises a set of parallel
wires to which the CPU, the
memory and all the input-
output devices are connected.
The bus contains one u,ire for
each bit needed to give the
address of a device or a
location in memory plus one
wire for each bit of data to
be transmitted in a single
step (usually 8 bits) , and
additional wires that indicate
what operation is being
performed. The bus sends data
in either direction between any
two components. Without a bus,
separate wires would be needed
for all possible connections
between components.

COMPUTER GENERATIONS.

Computers can be divided into
five generations:

First: built in the late is^e-s
and early 1Q5G " s using vacuum
tu t es -

second: built in the isse-'s
and 19E-© ■' s using transi s t ors .

Third: bui U us ing chips;
those wi th targe scale chips
(ICC or more gates) are
often called r ou r t h -gene r a t i on
computers .

Fo u r t h : often vie uje d as
advanced thi r d -gene r a t i on .

Fifth: Mot yet ready but
predicted by so me f o r the

■' s , these wi 1 1 p ro cess
knowledge instead of just
data , eg . natural languages
such as English and Russian
rather than restricted to
programming languages such as
BRSIC and assembly languages.

HRRD DISK.

R storage medium made of rigid
aluminum coated with iron
oxide. Mow sized up to d.©-
me<qabutes or higher, the read -
wr i te'head travels across the
diss-, on a thin cushion of air
without ever touching the
disk- URRNING ! every hard disk
in u<=e todau DILL break down
within Just a few years- 5o
ma k e floppy dis k ba c k u p s -

ISDN

Rn ISDN (integrated Services
Digital JMe two r k ) t e t e p h o n e
line is an all -d igital tine
offering the ability to send
and receive digital and voice
data with o u t a MODEM -

RECORD.

SINC-LINK

Pi RECORD is a co a. lection of
related data items- R
coi lection of records is «
FILE. R record can be broken
down into FIELDS with one each
for, say: name, street, city,
province, phone number , etc.
I include this item because
s o me writers get confused and
refer to records as files.

I am indebted to the Barron's
Dictionary of Computer Terms
Second Edition 198QJ
for much of the above
material. Bob Mitchell.
900113.

MIDI

ftiracle Systeas has had a HID! (Kusical Instruaent
Digital Interface) on the urket for quite soae tiie now.
This south we'll take a look a fiL HIDI by Biracle Systeis.

ItlDI interfaces allow instruaent* such as keyboards, dra«
aachines, etc, to be linked together via a set of cables to
coaaunicate with each other. When an instruaent is hooked
up to a coipater it can open a whole new world of
possibilities. For instance, you play a piece of iusic on
your keyboard and the cosputer 'records' the notes and other
characteristics of your piece. Afterwards, you can reoliy
the piece in any speed, teipo, or sound available on the
connected keyboard. But it doesn't stop there. You can
request that the coiputer play the piece while you play
another part, such as haraony. The coiputer will lerge the
two parts together when playing back the piece. However,
the data is still separate and can be lanipulated in any-
way. This is called Multiple tracking'. Soie computers
liait the nuaber of tracks allowed, but 8L HIDI lets you
lay tnck over track until you run out of ieiory. Kith a
decent sythesi zer you can have a whole orchestra at your
finger tips. Of course there are «any sore functions
available, but I'll concentrate on the ones offered in the
8L RIDJ package by ftiracle Systeis.

81 HIDI requires added memory, and a floppy is highly
recoiaended. I'i not sure how iuch extra sesory you
ABSOLUTELY need, but 1 think £5AK should be enough to let
the prograa run. The sore you have, the better though!
I ordered the QL 8IDI fros Sharps late last spring.
It arrived in about 31 weeks with everything I
needed except the cables to link the instruaent.
At that tiie it costed $139. 95 OS, and should be about
the safe now (although not advertised in their catalogue,
I think Sharps still has soie left). I bought soae
cables froi the Shack and was on ay way. with no previous
exposure to HIDI, I didn't know what to expect, so I just
loaded the software in anticipation. The boot prograa
loads an intro screen, checks for the presence of the
interface, and executes soae loops with a few pokes
here and there to fine tune the interface (set tiaing
at I/O to nIDI standard). The exec part is then loidei
along with a runtiae version of Turbo Toolkit. The prograa
works very auch like an 'ICE' environaent - you use a
joystick in CTRL! or cursor keys with space to aove a
highlight bar on the desired option, then press fire/space.
It is VERY easy to use. The amil is supplied on HDV
and explains the functions quite well.

Performance'. The interface scores big here. Ability to
record, playback, speed change, tiae change, filter data,
ietronoae on/off, quantise, full channel support for 16
instruaents, full editting of raw data, tiae * sounds, and
>ther technical goodies. One sub-aenu has option to
save, losd, transmit, and receive data. The
transait/receive part lets you upload/download directly to
the instruaents memory, Load/Save are options to save whole

ausical pieces to a device. When using I/O, you are
supplied with the option of ftDV or FLP (1 or c) and OTHER.
The 'other' lets you save/load to any other device that has
a valid device driver loaded - this aeans SER, PAR, PRT
and so on. This package has everthing anybody short of an
ex'pert can want. The only thing that I think could be added
to give it a final touch would be voice/sound editting.
I've seen soae packages that will take a sound froa the
keyboard and display the wave fors on screen and allow full
editting and Manipulation of it. These packages, however,
were for the Atari & Aaiga coaputers and were sold as stand
alone prograas. "aybe it mouli be asking too iuch for
soaething like that. Sure, HIDI on the AHISA and ATARI aight
have soae outstanding features, but 8L ftlDI does aore than
enough to satisfy aost ausic lovers (lets not sention the
IBn HIDI. For the price of a cheapy interface you can get
a ieuiciteC 8L with 8L HIDI and network it to your 81 that
has a floppy). All in all, a very good product'
I would like to hear froa Anybody that happens to have the
8L HIDI or wants to know aore about it.

Here's a quick tip that anyone with aore than one 8L will
find VERY useful. You can link up your coaputers via SER
in the way described in the user's aanual. When you have
thea linked, what do you do? Sure you can transfer
prograas and data, but is that all? HO! You can alaost
totally control each coaou ter reaotely by either of the
following aethods.

BL1;

type BAUD 9c 00
LOAD serl

(1st line of each is
not really needed)

8L1 ; type BAUD 9E0c?
DO serl

8L£i BAUD 9200

type any cowaanu you
want executed on the
other coaputer. 811
will do it as soon as
you hit ENTER.

ULC. OHUU 7CUV

do saae as above.

The second method is one that gives a use for TOOLKIT'S DO
coaaand. The net result is the saae. However, you can issue
the DO commni within a prograa, but you cannot issue the
LOAD coaaand without losing the prograa that's in memory at
the tiae. The way the LOAD version works is sisilar to
soae of the no-line-nuaber prograas that are used as loaders
for other aachine code. If there is no line nuaber, the 8L
siaply executes it iaaediately. In fact, if you put line
nuabers &\\e&o of your coaaands, you will be typing in a
prograa froa one coaputer to another - line by line?

P.S. Did you know that SDUHP can do colour screen duaps to
Epson color printers? Ya? It will do a colour duap
on ay STAR nUOOO color printer (Epson coapat.) in 3
different sizes, works great for those 3D graphs froa

rOlUH CAUflHIIOC!

SEHEN RACK!

/v fadi *iue Mve. \\

Haailtion, Ontario
LSH-W3

VKJ. tiO Jt 7-0000

SINC— LIN K

**********************************************

* OTHER USES FOR THE T/S 2368 LARKEK RAMDISK *
**********************************************

LARRY CRAWFORD 357 REYNOLDS RD
LONDON ONT CANADA N6K 2P8

BACKGROUND

The LARKEN RAMDISK banks are all mapped into the
DOCK bank of the 2968 even though the board is
plugged into the back expansion slot.
Consequently, it is possible to load any of the
RAMDISK banks with data for a database or
spreadsheet. This means that up to 256K more
information can be handled and increases the
usefulness of the "old workhorse" dramatically.
It is also possible to load a DOCK bank with code
which simulates a BASIC cartridge (AROS) and to
run that code as a BASIC or m/c program. This is
what cartridges do.

LARKEN BANK SWITCHING

First of all, the 2068's RAM is organized into 8
chunks of 8K each. Normally, with Display File 1
in use, the bottom two contain ROM and the next
one the system variables and ROM routines which
are moved to RAM on power-up. These 3 chunks
should not be disturbed.

The LARKEN RAMDISK board uses the top 4 chunks (4
to 7) to make up a bank. A bank is made active by
switching off the HOME RAM chunks 4 to 7 and
turning on one of the RAMDISK banks. The active
bank is actually treated as a DOCK bank. Thus the
RAMDISK board holds up to 8 DOCK banks which can
be selected from the keyboard.

HOW?

Which chunks are active in HOME and which active
in DOCK is controlled by the Horizontal Select
Register (HSR) located in PORT 244 (F4 hex). The
individual bits which make up the byte in the port
determine in which bank the corresponding chunk
will be active. A zero bit means the chunk is in
HOME. Since we want to use the top 4 chunks in
DOCK, we will load the HSR with 11110000 binary
(244 decimal). Thus <OUT 244,240> activates the
DOCK bank.

WHICH DOCK BANK?

LARKEN uses PORT 7 to select the one to be
activated. Actually, any bank less than 8 will
work since the address lines are not completely
decoded. The second page of the LARKEN RAMDISK
notes gives the code numbers corresponding to the
banks: Bank ABCDEFGH

Code 7 3 5 1 6 2 4 0

Thus <OUT~7,7> will select bank A. Further, LARKEN
uses bit 6 of PORT 7 to control the WRITE-PROTECT
circuitry of the RAMDISK board. A zero in bit 6
puts the bank in the READ-only mode. To be able to
load data into the bank, we must add 1000009
binary (64 decimal) to the bank code number.
Therefore, <0UT 244,240: OUT 7,71> will permit us
to put data into DOCK bank A.

WHAT CAN BE PUT INTO IT?

Strictly code. I use two of the banks to hold
records for a database program. It switches the
banks in or out as needed to add records or to
sort them.

The code, however, can be in the form of an AROS
cartridge and therefore be used to hold a BASIC
program.

HOW TO SAVE THE RAMDISK BANK

Any data read into the bank would destroy the
existing data. To preserve the RAMDISK, enter the
following: OUT 244,240: OUT 7,7 : RANDOMIZE USR
100: SAVE "RAMDSK.C1" CODE 32768,32768. The
contents of bank A will now be safely on floppy
and we can mess around with the bank as much as we
want. The DOCK bank, however, is still active and
needs to be turned off.

HOW TO GET BACK TO NORMAL

The commands <OUT 244,0: OUT 7,0> will do the job.
With a zero in the HSR via PORT 244, all bits are
zeros and all chunks of RAM will be active in
HOME. The zero to PORT 7 will turn return to bank
H which has a code of zero. This is the normal
condition for RAMDISK.

BANK H - A SPECIAL CASE

When the computer is turned on or NEWed, it checks
the DOCK to see if an AROS is present. If one is,
it is automatically activated. Since bank H is
really bank 0, a simulated AROS loaded into this
bank will run if the <NEW> key is pressed. If you
want a permanent AROS in bank zero, install a
switch in the line running from pin 1 of the 74145
to pin 20 of the H RAM chip. I have HOT-Z in the
socket. Without the switch, HOT-Z would run every
time the computer was booted.
If you wish to put an EPROM in the bank, it would
be prudent to disconnect pin 28 of the socket from
the RAM power supply buss and connect it to the
TTL buss. Otherwise, there would be a heavy drain
on the backup batteries.

HOW TO RESTORE THE RAMDISK BANK

<OUT 244,240: OUT 7,71: LOAD "RAMDSK. C1MC0DE> will

SINC— LINK

put the RAMDISK bank A back in the RAH chip. Don't
forget to <0UT 244, 0>

SIMULATING AN AROS CARTRIDGE

An AROS cartridge must have 8 "overhead" bytes

starting at 32768 (8000 hex) to give the computer

the information it needs to run the BASIC program.

See page 109 of the Tech Manual.

For our demo we will POKE into bank A the

following bytes: 1,2,8,128,15,1,0,0.

The first 1 indicates that this is a BASIC

"cartridge".

The 2 signals AROS as opposed to LROS, a Language
cartridge.

The 8 and 128 form the beginning address of the
BASIC program (low byte first). In this case the
BASIC will be at 8+256*128=32776 or 8008 hex.
The 15 (00001111 bin) means that chunks 4 to 7
will be active in the DOCK bank. This is exactly
opposite to the format for the HSR.
The second 1 denotes an Autostart for the program.
The two zeros reserve no bytes for m/c variables.
The BASIC program will be loaded as code starting
at 32776.

CREATING AN AROS

1. Save RAMDISK bank A as described earlier and
then key in OUT 244,0
2. Key in 10 CLS: PRINT "OK": STOP
20 OUT 244,240: OUT 7,71
30 RESTORE: FOR X= 32768 TO 32775:

READ Y: POKE X,Y: NEXT X
40 DATA 1,2,8,128,15,1,0,0
50 OUT 244,0

3. SAVE as "test.Bl"

4. SAVE as "test.Cl"CODE PEEK 23635+256*23636,1000
The peeks simply find the address of the start
of the BASIC program. It is moved up 50 bytes
if the large printer is active. The 1000 is an
arbitrary number large enough to be sure that
all of the program is saved.

5. Now <GOTO 20>. This will put the "overhead
bytes" for the AROS in place. t>

6. Key in OUT 244,240 :HOAD "test.crcOD^ OUT 244
,0. This will put the BASIC program into the
"cartridge".

7. Press <NSf> key. This activates the AROS and
Line 10 of the program should run.

8. If you saved a RAMDISK bank earlier, load it
back in.

RUNNING AN AROS (BASIC IN DOCK)

If DOCK bank n contains an AROS, then <0UT 7, be:
NEW> will RUN it (be is the LARKEN code for bank
n). It's that simple.

STORING AN AROS

If the code is to be left in a DOCK bank and
maintained with the battery backup, it should not
be in a bank that was formatted as a RAMDISK bank.
If the bank is in Drive 4, then keep the AROS on
floppy and load it in when you need it.

RUNNING AROS FROM DOCK AND BASIC IN HOME

Programs can exist in both banks and either one
can be RUN. Which one is active depends on the
contents of the aros flag at 23750. A zero at this
address will allow the HOME bank program to be
run. A 128 there activates the DOCK program.
A program in DOCK cannot be listed nor can it be
edited. So if you attempt to enter a line and
can't, you know that you are in DOCK and must
return to HOME.

Steps to run both:

1. Boot the DOCK program with <OUT 7, be: NEW>.
This MUST be done first to let the computer
know that an AROS is present.

2. Key in POKE 23750,0 to activate HOME bank.

3. Load in the BASIC program.

4. POKE 23750 with 0 or 128 depending on the bank
wanted and then RUN or GOTO the appropriate
line number.

SUMMING UP

The ability to use the RAMDISK banks for other
purposes expands the usefulness of the 2068
dramatically. Data that could not be handled by
the unexpanded machine can now be dealt with
easily.

Huge BASIC programs can be broken down into
segments, stored in DOCK banks, and called into
action as needed by a short controlling program.
This would leave most of HOME RAM free for the
storage of data.

Expansion of the 2068 makes economic sense too,
removing some of the pressure to move on to a
bigger machine that can't be tinkered with.
What we need now is a mess of programs that
exploit this potential.

For starters, George Chambers has two of mine. One
is a database and the other a HOME/DOCK program
handler. Ask him for them.

Explore and enjoy! Larry C

E> ZT176

SINC-LINK

TRIVIAL PURSUIT
Converting to Larken Disk Operation

by G. Chambers
Trivial Pursuit is a computer program which
is played much like the original *08^d version.
In addition to the initial program load, there
are 6 further blocks of code which may be
loaded, to provide additional game questions.
Capturing the initial program to the Larken
disk format was relatively easy. Simply a
matter of doing an NMI^type SAVE. However, the
matter of modifying the program to load the
code blocks was more formidable. This article
will describe the approach taken.

First, a search was made of the Trivial
Pursuit program to locate the LOAD code. The
program was broken into by attempting an NMI
save to a protected disk. This produced a "disk
protected" error report, and we were back in
Basic, though with the TR. PURS, code still in
the computer. In the possibility that the
program used a Spectrum call to the LOAD
routine at address 1366, a short for/next
program loop was used to look for any sequence
of 5 and 86 (5*256+86) in the program. As luck
would have it one was found at address 4293* •
Then a disassembler program was loaded. I used
a TIMACHINEaCompiled Spectramon program . .
("spec48.Cc", on club Larken disk #17) loaded
at address 48000. On the first attempt the
computer locked up. I retried it, this time
doing a CLEAR 65000 before loading the
disassembler. Seems as though the atackj" i*
the area where the disassembler went. The CLEAR
65OOO moved it up out of the way.

I then looked through the code looking for
JUMPs to the loading call at 42931. I found
several. The LOAD routine is very involved. It
is designed to cope with any tape l^ing
errors. If a LOAD error occurs the program will
Jut out a message to that effect, and get back
Sio the lSId aide again. Hence I found several
JUMPs to the loading code. After a number of
false starts I settled on address 42647 to
insert a CALL to my "disk save" routine.

I should mention that I had written a
suitable routine to handle the disk LOAD
function. I had also located an empty area in
the TR. PURS, code at about address 653 «0-
starting address for this code would be 65370.

The address 42647 that I mentioned earlier
containd a CALL to display a tape load
instruction on the screen.
following it was an instruction which when
fouled led to the CALL to the LOAD routine in
the Spectrum ROM. I decided to substitute the
existing call (at 42647) with on. that would
CALL my disk LOAD routine at 65370.

In trying out this change I found that the
disk save^Srked. However it was followed by a
?ape load attempt. The next thing to do was to
bySass this tape load function. In searching
the code I found that there were s^"1.0^
in the code which led to address 42931. i.e.
the Spectrum ROM loading routine. After a
numbe? If false starts I decided *o delete the
actual CALL to the Spectrum ROM. I insert ed
three O's. starting at address 42931. I*
worked. It seems as though the CALLS to the ROM
lire bypassed, which was what was hoped for.

Of course I mention that it worked. It was
not u Ho simple as this. I ted to save the
blocks of code (the -questions " code) t o disk.
Although these blocks had a header, the code

refused to load into the computer on its own.
Further, none of my header reader programs
could pick up the header. Nor could they
identify the starting address. All they could
identify was the code length. Each block of
code was a different length, though they were
all about 16700 bytes long.

I located the starting address as follows.
First I made a false header by entering a
direct command SAVE "test" CODE 30000. 16695 «
and saving the first header part to a sjPJ^te
tape. Then I reloaded this header, moved the
TR.PURS. code tape to just past it 's header,
and loaded the second part of the code, iz
loaded. I then looked at the first three or
four addresses at 30000, and wrote them down.

I mention that I had no knowledge of where
the starting address might be. This is not
quite correct. In looking at the code with the
disassembler I had come across several °i*8 of
code which looked as though they might P*rt
of the loading process. The address 43008 was
included in several places

The next thing to do. was to confirm that
this suspicion was correct. I loaded the
program TR. PURS, into the computer from tape,
and then loaded the first block of (questions)
code. Then I broke into the program and
inspected it for the newly loaded code. The
first time I tried that I was unsuccessful. The
«inuence that I had written down was not to be
SunS? Mosrpeculiar. I suspected that the code
nadbeen modified in some way or transferred
immediately after completion of the load.

On my next try I stopped the computer
(using the NMInaave/protected disk routine;
whilst in the middle of the tape loading
process. This time I was successful. I found
the code started at the anticipated address
43008.

Now to deal with the code loading routine
from disk that I had written. If you look at
the disassembled code you can see that first
there is a Disable Interrupt instruction at
65370. This prevents the keyboard from
interrupting the disk load process. The CALL 98
calls up the Larken DOS, then there is a m/c
LDIR routine that transfers the name
"genus2.Cl" from address 65427 into the Larken
DOS at address 8226. After the LDIR routine,
the actual load takes place. Following that, at
address 65414, there is a routine to increment
the number "2" in the title "genus2.Cl"(at
address 65432) to "3". This is so that the
program will load successive code blocks. These
code blocks were given the same name,
"genusx.Cl". the "x" being "2" for the first
block, "3" for the next, and so on with the
laBt block containing a "7".
The code loader ends by returning from the
Larken DOS at 65421. finishing with the RET at
address 65422 which returned program operation
back to address 42650 in the TR. PURS.

SINC-LINK

TRIVIAL PURSUIT
Disk Loading Code

65370
G537 1
65372
65373
65374
65377
65380
65383
65386
65388
65390
65393
65396
65399
65402
65405
65408
65411
65414
65417
65418
65421
65422
65423
65424
65425
65426

65427
65428
65429
65430
65431
65432
65433
65434
65435
65436
65437
65438
65439

F3
00
00
00

CD6200

219 3FF

112220

010A00

EDBO

3E0B

320220

CDC600

2100A8

223320

213D41

223120

CDC900

3A6400

3A98FF

3298FF

103
101

117
115

NOP

CALL

LDIR

CALL

INC

RET

NOP

g
e
n
u
s
2

C
1

HL, 65427
DE,8226
BC, 10

A, 1 1
(8194) ,A
198

HL, 43008
(8243) ,HL
HL, 16701
(8241) ,IIL
201

A, (100)
A, (65432)
A

(65432) ,A

"Computer still
in the shop, Jenkins?"

TED TROGDON, SINGER COMMUNCADONS, WC

lmx£» mums _

UP TO 2S&K RAM -for your 2Q6>B

• Expand your 2068 with up to 256K ai battery backed op Rai

- Larken Operating systee lets you SAVE to aetflry, just like
cassette or disk. Floppy disk not rwjared )

- All Cassette coasands supported Very Fast and Reliable .

- Can te used wth ALL easting 2068 or Spectrue software.

- Uses tt» new 32K static raa chips, 622S6LP or 432S6LP

- Systee consists of Larken Cartridge and Rear Heeory Board.
H PRICE - MEMORY SYSTEM with 64K Raa $129.00

- MEMORY SYSTEM nth 0 K S 95.00

LARKEN 2068 FLOPPY DISK SYSTEM

- The aost advanced On available for the 2068/Spectrua . LXdos
uses ALL Coeunds such as CAT MER6E ERASE LOAD SAVE PRINT OPEN
etc Also can support RAHDQK up to 256K and Sequential / Randos
Access Files udth additional sofUartt. The Larken Disk
Interface can handle up to 4 floppy* for up to 12 HegaBytes of
storage. Also « Snapshot Save Button and KEMPSTQN Joystick
port on intarf act Also 10 Extended Basic rn—inrti for ttnooiis

AERCO RAHEX or 0LI6ER Disk users can add LKdos for acre
coaaands, Raadisk and access to all LKdos software

h PRICE - Larken Floppy Disk Systee tl 19.95

- Floppy Disk IF nth 0 I henry board .. 1169.93

- Larken Disk Editor $ 15.00

- Sequential /Randoe access files * 15.00

- Xaodes to Disk Nodes package f 15.00

- ZI-81 Floppy Interface t 15 left » ... t 99.95

- LKDOS for Aerco,Raaex or Oliger Disk IF I 59.95
(All prices are 18 , Add 6$ Shipping >

LARKEN ELECTRONICS RRt? NAVM ONTARIO CANADA K4B-IH9
(613)-8B-2680

SHARK IS WE

LARGEST 01
SOFTWARE AND

DEALER!

WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG

Sharp's, Inc.

Rt. io, Box 459 mm

Mechqnicsvilie, VA 23111 — '
(804) 746-1664 or 730-%97

Unleash the poher or your

PRINTER HITH THIS S0FTH4RE
DACKAGC. . .

8 DQOGO/IMS AND OVER 150
GRAPHIC DESIGNS I

THE L/CGLEP. THE C-45D M.4<ER,
THE B/«**TR PRINTER, THE PRESS,
THE C4-END.*!, THE HE/CER,
QUICK SCREEN aho THE CRE-4TCR

AQZ JUST HH4T VOU NEED TO MXKE
YOUR PQZNTER COME TO LZFE!

Comes on 2 t,«pes in a HIGH
QLMLITY vinyl 4LbUM, Includes

SUPERft INSTRUCTION M4NU4L,

Very USER-FRIENDLY!

The Print Factory... SEE. 95 pod

A true FAST LOAD OPER>rriNa
system! Chech out these
features. . .

-Only 1536 &ytes long aho

RCL0C4T AhLE jJNYHHERE BETWEEN

31800 aho 6W00!
-TS2068 auo Spectruh 48K
cohp-«ti»le!

-H4N0LES -4JL ST4ND4QO I/O

COHM4NOS.
-BOROER FLICKER COLORS

SELECT J»LE. ( ANY COLOR AT Al.i.1)

-Neh commands such 4s NO f*ESS.43E

ano HE4DER RE/CER!
-6*uo R/ttes fbom 1500 uo to 3300.
-Uses a PRINT »M: I/O command

EtFflST SEE.95 ppd

Hlso available fron BY1E TO

First Cl^iss Fomts^II^. . . *22. 95
The 0. U.S. V2.0 (LKDOS) . 132. 9S •

The Voice *2Z-%?

The Poirrr Factory Icc.S

2+F4ST (f^st load) *£2>§S

ZX81 1st Class phogh4ms. J12. 95

BYTE POP€R M-<a/i2iNE. . .

1 Issue < hck/curhent) . . . *5. 99

6 Issues t JS. 00

12 Issues 155.00

First Cl^iss Pack WO. 00

Best Of ^RC>toE G>«mes. . . . *22. 95

Best Of Business i££. 95

Best Of Bo*hd G,«mes J22. 95

DEMO T.43E/C4T/€.06 $3. 00

U.S. FUOS Ofl_Y. All prices

INCLUDE SHIPPING/HANDLING
CHARGES.

SING-LINK

QLIPS

The other day I had a problem and strange
things were happening. Lockups, crashes, some
corruption. I evenyaully changed my Disk Drive
#1 to #2, and #2 to #1, as my problem appeared
to be when I used a certain disk. In the
process I had to open them up to make the
necessary changes, and while doing this I
noticed a couple of little plugs appeared to be
sliding off the sockets, tightened them up, and
this cured my lockup lost-data problem.

Next day, my problem was somewhat different,
in the middle of a programme, there would be
blue flashes crossing the screen. My first
thought was how the solar flare activity could
do this to me, so I scrubbed this idea, and
thinking I had perhaps altered something on my
Disk change-over, went through all the cable
connections I could think of. Whatever happened
the flashing went away.

Then we had another problem. On power up, the
screen on my RGB would go GREEN, and that was
it. At this point I resorted to my old radio
days when we had all those little bottles
(called TUBES or VALVES ) inside a receiver or
transmitter, I gave the table a thump, and
the monitor a bump, and lines disappeared.

Later I just happened to come across an article
in an old CURRY report, and I thought it might
be of interest to someone out there. The issue
was Vol. 2 No 11 Dated November 15.1986. and I
would like to pass this on.

Here is the QODTE from page 5 :-

"The most common 'downtime problem' with QL's
seems to be either bad microdrives or video
problems. Video is usually confined to faulty
ram chips or a defective ZX8301. With early or
'low' serial numbers, the ZX8301 chip could be
'popped out' very easily from its socket.
Unfortunately with higher serial number QL's, a
lot of 'superfluous' material in the way of
wires, etc. cover the top of the chip. Needless
to say, this makes it much harder to replace.
Generally speaking, if on power up you get a
"green screen' it is a problem with ram chips.
If you power up, get a logo screen, etc. and
then the video goes down (slowly or otherwise) ,
it is probably the ZX8301. [ see Service
Manual]

For those of you who suspect the 'lockups' your
QL experience is due to the voltage regulator,
you might try removing the 7805 and replacing
it with a 78S0( aich is bigger and stronger.
This was mentio. by a QUANTA member in Kenya.
You can also add. ... a 0. lmf capacitor. This
sequence does not even need the use of a
soldering iron. If you open the Keyboard, the
7805 will be screwed onto the heatsink which is
located behind the microdrives. Undo the
heatsink screws, unplug the 7805 from the
flying leads, and remove the unit. Then, screw
a new regulator on and while you are plugging
the leads back in, you can put the wires from
the capacitor in that same socket.

End of quote from Curry report vol. 2 no 11.

So there you are, was my thump on the table
enough to re-settle the chips to where they
should be ? I don't know, but at least the
blue flashes have not come back, and my screen
does not go green now.

By the way, we have a number of the CURRY
REPORT on hand, if you are interested in
reading them let me know. Lots of goodies.

On the subject of QL problems, ( Is there any
other QL subject?) Say you have a Miracle 512
expansion, and then a Cumana interface plugged
into this, you would be well advised to use a
support at the extreme left end of the ADD-ONs,
an old microdrive case is juat about the right
size. It must be remembered that the
connections are very short and give no support
whatever to the extentions, hence the need for
a little support.

Another idea is to ensure your QL LEGS are long
enough. After a period of use, feel the
underside of the QL, and you will find it is
quite hot, mine is, and I have a good space
between the Ql and the table. I Can't imagine
the build-up of heat if it were not for the
longer legs.

H.H.H.

SINC-LINK

VIDEOTEX

> Written for use with the S.fl.U.6. Video Digitizer.

> Capture and display thirteen different full-screen
Qreyscale shadings of a digitized video mage.

> Sreyscaled nages can be inverted, horiz. flipped,
filtered, and saved for use with drawing prograis.

> Special 'overlay' option allows for even more
creative possibilities and special effects.

> Complete User Notes plus information relating to
customizing VIDEOTEX for other storage media and
full-sized printers is included.

Above greyscales
lade w/VIDEOTEX.

VIDEO 3-D

> Generates 3-D representations of digitized video images saved
as taster video files with VIDEOTEX;

> Norial and "inverted* 3-D effects are possible.

> Four selectable Z-axis 'depths'.

> A 3-D representation can be auto-colorized with either of two
color palettes.

> A 3-D representation can be inverted, horizontally flipped,
and saved for use with drawing prograis.

) Complete User Notes plus information relating to customizing
VIDEO 3-D for use with other storage media and full-sized
printers is included.

SINC-LINK

VIDEOCQPY

> For hardcopymg digitized video images saved as master video
files with VIDEOTEX to an OK I HATE 20 printer (using an IBM
parallel Plug 'n Print cart.). Not for use with other color
printers or other OKIHATE 20 Plug 'n Print cartridges.

> Both black k white and hi-res auto-colorized hardcopies are
supported.

> 13 different full-screen greyscalings can be viewed, inverted,
and horizontally flipped before hardcopying.

> Automatically colorized digitized video images can be copied.

> A "Color Editor" is available for user-assigned "colorizing".

> Complete User Notes plus information relating to customizing
VIDEOCQPY for use with other storage media is included.

NAME:
ADDRESS:

CITY/STATE/ZIP:

QUANTITY

SOFTWARE TITLE

PRICE EACH

TOTAL

VIDEOTEX

$9.95 ppd

VIDEO 3-D

$9.95 ppd

VIDEOCQPY

$9.95 ppd

(Pre-paid orders only please.) TOTAL ENCLOSED)))
SEND ALL ORDERS/INQUIRIES TO:

John Acflichael, 1710 Palmer Dr., Laramie, HY 82070

S.M.U.G. Presents

The 1990 SINCLAIR COMPUTER Exposition

MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN

June 2 & 3 /Banquet Friday Night June 1
SEMINARS, DOOR PRIZES, SWAP SHOP,
SOFTWARE, PERIPHERALS, HARDWARE,
AND LOTS OF OTHER STUFF

Location

WAUKESHA HOLIDAY INN (414) 786-0460
Hwy 18 & 194 Waukesha, WI 53186
There will be a SNUG meeting Saturday Night June 2, 1990

Ticket Information:

in advance at the door

$ 4.00 $ 5.00

$ 7.00 $ 9.00

$16.00 $16.00 Limited seating

$25.00 (incld. 2 day badge) $25.00 Limited table space

One day
Both days
Banquet
Table

Tables are 6 feet by 30 inches

For MORE INFORMATION contact

Bill Heberlein Neal Schultz

5052 N. 91st Street or call 7 - 10pm

Milwaukee, WI 53225 (414) 353-4522

for RESERVATIONS mail to:
Expo Reservations

P.O. Box 101
Butler, WI 53007

Detach and Mail

"Name Phone ( )

Address

City State Zip,

Please reserve one day badge @ $ 4.00 each = $_

Please reserve two day badges @ $ 7.00 each = $_

Please reserve Banquet tickets @ $16.00 each = $_

Please reserve 6' x 30" tables @ $25.00 each = $.

I have included a check /money order for total = $_

StNC— LINK

TORONTO F I MEX -SINCLAIR USERS CLUB
March 17, i ••?90

1 ••+ 2 i chome Cour t *
5 c a r b ar cu gh i 0 i r t ,. ! 1 1 K 2 Y 1

bss Cattrel I

1.08 River He i g hi: s Drive

Cocca.) PL 32922

Dear i s = -

3urr y I have na i: go i; back i.:o you sooner', I' s bean so L o i ■•■-i fha t I
can't find your letter to reply to i t .

Not that 'jou have been lost or forgotten 1 You will bum.' thai youv
news let ter article has been publ L shed. We 1 1 , actual ly J see where the
edi tor has publ i shed two of them- I guess he does not l ike ho save
things for a rainy day or something, I see where two of my articles are
in the same issue? and I wish he had kepi: one of them for I- he ne>.- t
month. I can 7 t Just whip up one of them out of thin air. Can you?

We 1 i * I sen fc your article to Bob Mi ten el 1 shortly after I received it
from you. He incorporated it into his OMNIBUS disk., so that when leading
the AUTOSTART menu it booted the routine into the DOS. HOwever, Bob went
a bit further., He bur led the code in the AUTOSTART program at address
24495 . That way he does not have to hold it in the BASIC par t of the
menu program. Just do a POKE routine from BASIC to move it from 2 -+4°?5 to
1 6 1 00 ,

I carried the idea a bit further by putting an LDTR routine in tron t
of it at the address 24495 - Then in the menu program I .just make a US R
call to 24495 and it gets booted into the DOS,. This whole exercise does
two things. It gets the routine into the DOS quickly, and it uses empty
space in the AUTOSTART program (24495 &. upwards of 80 bytes) rather than
in the BASIC program itself- The AUTOSTART program has to have a Line to
do the USR call to 24495, and also a POKE into the DOS to install the
s t a r t i n g a d d r ess 1 6 1 G 0 .

Because Bob has some other m/c routines that he POKEs into the DOS he
moved the routine to address L6310? but that is Just a minor point. That
sort of consideration resulted in choosing 24495 as the appropriate
storage area for the routine. I'm sending a listing so that you can try
it out. Do you want to write up an article about this development » or
shall I. I see where? if one chose one could point the operation to any
drive you chose,, That might be useful to members who do not have a
RAM disk.

If, or I should say-? when I come across your letter I shall respond to
it. Are you waiting for something from me? I'll cast around before I
send of f t h e n / 1 to see.

Si ncereiy ,

Geo r g e C h am b e r s .

We do appreciate the article,. You see how it can prompt a whole new set
of activities. That's part of the problem; I've been playing around with
it instead of getting at my correspondence'

MAR i7 -30

2 REM ^ by Les Cottre f I ,

with mods by Geo Chambers

15 RESTORE 30: FOR a= 24495 TO
24575

20 READ b: POKE a,b: NEXT a

30 DATA 243,205,98,0
^ 40 DATA 33, 195,95, 17,228,62, 1 ,
58,0,237, 176,58, 1 00, 0, 251 , 201

50 DATA 243, 205,98,0,62

60 DA TA 1 28, 50, 3, 32, 33, 2 0, 63, 1
7, 34, 32, 1, 1 0, 0, 237, 176,62, 11, 50,
2,32,205, 198,0, 42, 1 24, 32, 34, 51 , 3
2, 42, 1 34, 32, 34,49, 32, 205, 201,0,6
2, 100,251 ,201 ,0

70 DATA 65,85,84,79,83,84,65,8

2, 84, 32, 0, 0, 0

80 RANDOMIZE USR 24495

90 RANDOMIZE USR 100: POKE 821

4, 16100

100 BEEP .5,. 5: PRINT "NMI-F Re
boot act ivated" : PAUSE 0: CLS

8999 STOP

9000 RANDOMIZE USR 100: SAVE "NM
I-F.B3"

9010 REM This SAVE puts the code
into DOS at address 16100

24495

r J

D I

Luo200

CALL

24499

2 1 C35F

HL, 24515

245Gz

1 1E43E

DE, 16100

2450b

01 3A00

BC, 58

O It COD

r~ r\ r\ s-\

t DBO

LDIR

ou cr 1 n

*3 A £. 1 1 /~~t/^i

A, ( 100 )

Oh cr 1 o

C 13

r a

Oli^ 1 Lt

l y

OCT

RET

Oil cr 1 cr

r J

D I

Oil*? 1 *Z.

f> A 1 1

CALL

oil «;»q

■sron
-?C aU

A, 128
( 8195), A

Oil R O 1

320320

Oil cr Oh

o i 1 Jt or
<c7 l£k3r

HL, 1614tQ

Oil 0~7

7 7 2220

DE, 8226

Oil *> 'P/O

U 7 OAOO

BC, 10

Oil R "3 "3

t utsu

LD IR

Oil CT ■? CT

oc r\ O
Jt Ob

A, 1 1

( 8194), A

Oil cr "3 "7

320220

oil c; 1 1 r\

CDC600

CALL

198

oil cr ii o

7C20

HL, (8316)

Oli cr 1 1

223320

( 8243 ),HL

24549

2 A 8620

HL, ( 8326)

Oli cr cr "j

24552

22J 7 4?0

( 8241 ),HL

Oli crc

24555

CDC900

CALL

201

1 i ceo

2455a

3E64

A, 100

24560

2456 1

RET

24562

NOP

24563

B,C A

24564

D,L 0

24565

D, H T

24566

C,A £>

24567

D,E e

24568

D, H ^

24569

B, C A

24570

D, D R.

24571

0, H T

24572

2000

NZ, 24574

24574

NOP

MAR 26 '90

214

32 > PRINT #odsbO TO obsGO SUE V

AL " 11": RANDOM 1 2E USR VAL "24495 i
" : P R I NT #o d : POKE V AL
" 163 10"

33 LET ol=of+nf: > -~
Q " : i ■=•"■"

\(ol,\0

f * f .

24495

24496

CD6200

CALL

24499

21 C35F

ML . 245 1 5

24502

1 1B63F

DE, 16310

245 05

0 1 4 1 00

ECm 65

24508

ED BO

LDIR

245 ID

3 A 6400

A, (1 00 )

24513

,i.T.J X *T

DCTT
rlt I

24515

2451 6

CD6200

CALL

24519

3E30

A i 1 28

24521

320320

(8195) , A

24524

NOP

24525

NOP

24526

NOP

24527

NOP

24528

NOP

24529

21ED3F

HL, 16365

24532

1 12220

DE,8226 ,

24535

01 0A00

BC, 10

24538

EDEO

LDIR

24540

E 0 B

A, 1 1

24542

320220

(8194) ,A

245 45

CDC600

CALL

198

245 48

2A7C20

HL, (8316)

24551

jL, L3 u ..c. 0

(8243 5 ,HL

24554

2A8620

HL, (8326)

24557

jil -_5 1 ^ 0

( 824 1 ) , HL

24560

CDC900

CALL

201

24563

3E64

A, 100

24565

24566

RET

24567

NOP

24568

NOP ^

'"'AS AO

MAP

LcAo if&M

.dj. tx w

24497

24498

24499

24500

24501

24502

24503

24504

24505

24506

24507

24508

24509

24510

245 1 1

245 12

24513

24514

24515

245 1 6

24517

24518

24519

24520

24521

24522

24523

24524

24525

24526

24527

24528

24529

24530

24531

24532

24533

24534

24535

24536

205

195

182

65
0

237
176

a
100
0

251

201

243

205

128
50

a
□
a
o

237

1 C)AQS *lh<*fo4m ____

T ]Mi oh tit 80S AeaJDs )

'r? EEpp UAi " . 005" , 0J+0J s RETURN
13 IF IN VAL "127"=VAL "237" THEN LET :in=oa= RETURN

«fiC*Ufe(2>* 32>PRINT #od:S0 TO obcGO SUB VAL " IV' 5 IF bOVAl » 1 23" THEN FOR

^^^^i=VAL " 24495 " TO VAL. » 24560" : PRINT ttoJTpOKE i VAL "8 185", PEEK lN
pyr i • PRINT #od! POKE VAL "82 i 4", VAL "16310"

33 I ET " C3 1 =0 f -+-o f " LET ft.=VAL "40": LET fh=VAl "500"- I ET ot=VAL

M000": LET new=VAL "490":: LET pr=VAL. "296"

34 GO SUE VAL. "982"

35 LET lpd=oa: LET drv=ob

4Q BORDER oqs INK og : PAPER og ° CI S

lAtjjf f?V-VL! PRINT #ods POKE VAL "8214", VAl "1.631.0"

V»>-7^ pR1NT #od: SQ J0 Qds j_ET H^Tdl.Ci": PRINT #od: LOAD l*COD

50 DIM d*(ol)

65 IF Ipd THEN PR INI #od: OPEN #3," Ip"

(f^3 205 , 98 , 0 , 62 , 1 28 ,50, 3
S3^So , 0 , 0 , 0 1 0 ' 33 , 237.
63 ,17, 34 , 32 , 1 , 1 0 , 0 , 23 7
176,62, 1.1, 50, 2, 32, 205, 198
0,42,124,32,34,51,32^42
134,32,34,49,32,205,^01,0

6'? , 1 00 , 25 1 , 20 1 ? 0 , 0 ,0,63
85 ', 84 79 , 83 , 84 , 65 ,82, 84
32,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

$ll<rt> * hut 0^ 'f*
(?) ^$o5 S'M

56 10.1
561.04
56 1 06
561 09
56 t 1 0
561 1 1
56! 1 ""'
561, 1 3
561 14
561 17
561.20
561.23
56125
56127
56.130
56 1 33
56136
56139
561,42
56145

56150
56151
561.52
56153
56154
56155
56156
5 6: 157
56158
56.1.59
561.60
56 161
561.62
561.63

CD6200
3E8Q
3203 20
00
I iO
00
00
00

2 1 «?■
1 1
0 3 0A00
EDEO '
3EDB
320220
CDC600
2A7C2Q
223320
2A8620
223120
CDC900

3E64

54^

CAI L

MOP

NOP

I D I R

LD
LD

CAI L.

LD
LD
LD
LD

CAI L

LD
EI
RET
NOP
NOP
NOP
LD
LD
LD
LD
LD
LD
L.D
LD
-LD

A, E
98

A , 1 28
(8195 ) , A

HL, 16155 j4^l
DE,8226 ^ 0

EC, 10
A 1.1 1

( 3194) , A
193

HL, (8316 5
(8243) 1 HL
HL. , ( 8326 )
(8241 ) , HL
201

A, 100

B, C
D, L
D,H

C, A

D, E
D, H
B, C
D, D
D, H

-X

Jan/Feb 1990 January Uth, 1990

cont'd January 27th, 1990
Dear Outgofotown members,

I'm writing this before the newsletter has
come out, so I can't comment on it directly. But
from the look of the material that members have
been sending in, it's likely to be pretty good.
We do appreciate the work of those members who
have submitted material. I would like to call on
those who have not contributed yet, to please do
so. It helps immensely.

The reason our newsletter is late has a bit
to do with Christmas time, and a lot to do with
an event in our Editor's life. Through the
efforts of his wife he is now the proud father
of a baby boy! Arrived just after Christmas. So
you can imagine that he has been busy. Jeff now
has a girl and a boy in his family.

His address is 335o75 Lemonwood Drive,
Islington (Toronto) M9A 4L3 CANADA. If you are
inclined, drop his wife a notei she did most of
the work!

One of our former members, Ariel Frailich,
called me a few weeks ago to tell me that he wai
interested in clearing out his old Timex stuff.
I said that I would inquire amongst members and
see what could be sold. I managed to locate
enough persons in the local area to take most oi
the stuff, so one day I went over and picked it
up. There was a 2068, a Portuguese Disk system,
an Interface 1 with a twister board and
microdrive, a 2050 modem, a 2040 printer, a
monochrome monitor, numbers of books and
magazines, and 7 tape recorders.

I managed to clear most of it out at our
January meeting. Good job too, because it was
tending to clutter up my basement! I had the twc
systems up and running, to see how they worked.
I still have a few odds and ends, if you wish tc
inquire.

I mentioned that Ariel was a former member of
our club. He, along with Dave Ridge were the two
partners in Novelsoft, the outfit known for
ARTWORX, ZXPERT, TIMACHINE, THE WORX, and some
other programs they wrote and used to sell.

Ariel tells me that he is working on a refined
version of ZXPERT for use on MSDOS machines. It
has an application in the educational system as
a teaching tool. That is, a student works up his
study subject into a framework of ZXPERT. The
idea being that in doing so, the facts of the
subject become fixed in the mind and at the same
time the student becomes aware of gaps in his
knowledge of the subject he is studying. Quite
a number of school boards have been interested
enough to buy copies of the program. It comes
with text material for the student and the
teacher. Rather a neat approach as a teaching
aid, I thought.

It is interesting to note that along with
Dave Ridge and Ariel Fralich, our club can also
include Cameron Hayne, the author of TIMACHINE,
as a past member.

I have not added any disks to our Larken
library recently. The number stands at 15 disks.
But I have some disks in progress that you might
like to see. They include disks on the topics of
Banners, Menus, Languages, and Calendars. If any
of members are interested in seeing a copy, drop
me a line. ~i „

Also a couple of items about disk #6, Music &
Sound. In going over it I found a large number

of flaws in it. I had to go completely through
it, to fix up the problems. Mostly they were to
do with making the programs work from the
directory. For example I had to put a RESTORE
function in some programs so the would not come
up with an 'OUT OF DATA' report. So if you have
borrowed that disk and thrown up your hands,
re3borrow it. Also, while on that same diskt It
has several music programs by Joan Kealy. I
really liked them so I wrote to her, asking if
I could get some more of them. She has obliged,
and I am putting them all onto a separate Larken
library disk. Ask for iti I have not given it a
library number yet. In addition to sending me
all these music program, she has taken a
subscription to our newsletter. Welcome Joan, I
hope you enjoy the newsletter!

I also will have a disk with one or two
versions of the Interbank Data Storage/Sorting
Utility. This is the program I mentioned in my
last newsletter* author Larry Crawford. It is a
huge database file, which bankswitches the
Larken RAMdisk chips into the computer memory as
needed to store and access the data. Can hold ud
to 9000 or so 27acharacter records. There have
been some refinements made to the program since
I last mentioned it. Bob Mitchell has refined
the frontaend, making it more userofriendlyi
while Larry Crawford has done the same, and also
modified it so that you can specify the record
length when you start a new file, up to a
maximum of 128 characters. Also Larry has
modified the SORT routine so that it will sort
on any designated column. It has a remarkably
fast SORT routine, and a fast string SEARCh
routine built ain. Bob plans to use one version
to hold a record of hiB colour slide
collection.

I have learned an interesting thing. I have
a Smith Corona Lo1000 printer. I have mentioned
it bcfors. It is a daisywh**! type printer, very
ruggedly built. A week ago when I need a new
printwheel for it, I was unable to do so. 'Not
available' they said, and not being manufactured
any more. I was dumbfounded. I'm told the
printer is very oldi I bought it new in 1985*
The printwheel that I was asking for was a Red
Ring Pica 10, the most common type, nothing
special. They did not have any of them, in fact
they had no RED RING types at all» no
printwheels at all for the LolOOO printer.

I settled for a White ring Judicial 10
printwheel. It is not made for the La 1000, and
is not really satisfactory, since the print
hammer tends to strike slightly off-centre.
Anybody out there own one of these beasts; had
Iny suchlike problems? Moral, don't buy any
SmithnCorona product 1 you'll get short shrift
from them. Any ideas, anyone?

You may see a letter in the newsletter from
Bill Jones (UPDATE magazine). It responds to a
column by Hugh Howie, in the previous letter. I
found it so Amusing that I felt it deserved a
wider audience. There are a couple of
interesting things about it.

Firstly, I had to thank Bill for his offer
to put a club advert in his magazine, but to say
that we would decline for the present. That I
had all the members that I could handle just
now, and that I did not need any more. We are
still getting queries (and new members) from the
mention that Bill has put in. in past issues.
That's interesting, isn't it! I'm just too
afraid of loosing an avalanche.

The second thing was Bill's reference to

I-

Si:
o

'snoring'. Maybe 40 years ago, I had read of
this technique, and one rainy day I decided to
give it a try. My wife (I was newly0married
then) looked out the window, and saw me in a
raincoat, doing the most odd thing. When I tried
to explain just what it was, she couldn't
believe what she was hearing. Though I
maintained at the time that it was very serious
business, and continue to do so, she, to this
day, regales all and sundry about that event.
And nobody really believes my version i they
won't take my protestations seriously.

So you see, when I read Bill's letter, I ran
to my wife, calling out, "Listen to this! listen
to this!". But she still treats me indulgently,
and I don't suppose that she'll ever tire of
telling that story (her version, of course!).
And I don't even fish.

I see where the COMPUTER SHOPPER magazine has
dropped Michael O'Brien's Timex/Sinclair column.
When I look further I see an explanation in the
Editorial (page 197). They have dropped all the
'classic computers' columns from the magazine,
saying, "We have chosen to discontinue our
coverage of these machines in favor

of ..those systems that more fully

represent the mainstream of modern computing."
I suppose that is the consequence of being taken
over by ZIFFaDAVIS. Shades of SYNC magazine.

Further, I see where the Editor, Stan Veit,
has been kicked upstairs. That is to say, he is
now called 'Editor in Chief Emeritus'. I call on
some of you professionals to tell me what that
really means. I would hazard a guess that he
wasn't happy with the turn of events, and was
given the shove.

In their editorial they continue, to quote,
'We hope they (meaning us) continue to enjoy and
use Computer Shopper as they join their
computing colleagues and migrate to IBM,
Mackintosh, Amiga, Atari ST, Apple Ilgs, and
Unix systems ' . end of quote

Bob Mitchell dropped me a line a few days
ago. He reports that Larry Kenny mentions
working on a DOS that will read and write to
MSoD0S disks, 'just for transferring programs
and not for making them run', to quote from the
letter. (Myself, I rather suspect that it would
be most useful in the transfer of ASCIIatype
text.)

Larry also make mention of the Desk Top
Publisher program he is working on, saying it
will be ready in a few months.

In another club's newsletter, I read that
Radio Shack were discontinuing the paper for
their TP40 printer. That is the same paper we
buy for our TS2040 printers. I checked at the
local RS store. They had it in stock, and when
I inquired, they looked up their data base to
see if it was under review. It was not, so we in
Canada may be secure for a while yet. I
understand from them that the Canadian R.S.
operates independently of the US operation.

Our newsletter carries only one mailing
address in iti mine. There's nothing
particularly wrong with that but if anyone
should wish to complain (about me, for example)
you'd be screened pretty closely!! There haven't
been any complaints (not recently, anyway!), but
I'll give the address of our club President,
Rene Bruneau. It isi

120 Salem Ave.,
Toronto, Ontario,

CANADA M6H 3C3

I think I am pretty much up in my mailings. If
you feel you have been waiting too long, drop me
a line i maybe I have overlooked you.

Just a mention of something. If you are
returning tapes, please be sure to rewind them
completely. If they are returned otherwise, it
is quite possible for the tape to get damaged.
The next person to get the tape will then have
a problem.

Being with the club all this time I have
acquired a great many books, clippings,
magazines, programs, and just such an array of
stuff that it is pretty nearly impossible to let
you know what I have. If you want information,
just ask me i chances are that I can come up with
something for you. That is what a club is all
about. I have been fortunate in getting a lot of
stuff from members over the years, and I really
would like to share it with you.

One of our members sent me some small pieces
of paper off the last package that I sent him.
I found them very useful. There seems to be
quite a number of them on packages Bent to the
US. Other members might do likewise!!

I have revised my Income tax program for the
tax year 1989* It is suitable for the Canadian
situation i more specifically it handles the
Canadian and Ontario Income tax forms. Ask for
a copy if you are interested.

I picked out an advert that I thought
particularly humorous. Sort of a black humor, if
you will. I'll tack it onto the letter. Maybe
because I do volunteer work lor the blind,
repairing 'Talking Book Machines' (tape
pi ay era, to you), it struck my fancy!

iS,
or

OS,

ng.

Eel

TV-unwonted prize, *i w «-
VHP/UHF. U5. Colt 481-6088.

T.V., 21" b & w, oood working
cond., suitable tor People with
impaired vision. S50. 482-4442.

colie\
SEL*.

TYPEWRITE©

I have a member's letter that I want to
publish in the next n/l, but I'd like to put a
query from it right here. I'll paraphrase his
queryi "I have bought a SAMSUNG MZ4571 14"
monochrome monitor. It is a flat screen, dual
mode (RGB/TTL) monitor. Since we do not have TTL
compatibility with the TS2068, I'm using the RGB
mode. There is one minor problem with it... if
the border is any color other than black, the
top four or five display scan lines roll down
across the screen. I have gotten into the case
and tried adjusting things but with no success.
I wonder if a different RGB i/f would help? Any
ideas?". Any one got any ideas, do drop me a
line, G.F.C.

One other thing. I seem to be missing two
pages from my MSCRIPT manual. They are pages 39
and 40. Maybe these pages were not part of the
TS2068 version of MSCRIPT, but the manuscript
coninuity seems to require them. Can any one
help me by sending the two missing sheets?

Sincerely

^ News Supplement #1-1990 Jan., 1990

No. 1-1990

— Pub. by B. Harmer,97 Ruskin , Ottawa, Can. KlYZjBj:

News for this year, 1990, may see Sinclair computers out-doing even previous
glories. Rumours are that Apple Macintosh and NeXT computer emulators for the QL
are being readied by software developers, to follow- the MS DOS and CP/lVI emulators
already available. Cambridge is rumoured to have a 3i lb., MS DOS laptop with 34
inch disk drives and optional hard disk. But the big news is that most of us are
still here, looking forward to another year of user group activity. Ottawa-Hull
TSUG has a BBS now, (613)745-3333 (afterhours) , 300 baud, 3/n/l, Xmodem, planned to
be upgraded to 1200 baud. The writer is still working on photocopy-published
Sinclair books, including additions to the ZX-81 Assembly Language Booklet and
Tips, Tricks & Techniques from the User Group Masters for the ZX-8I/TS1000. A thind
book, Master Guide to the LDOS ZX-31 Disk System, is winding up final stage of
preparation, altho it looks like it will be expensive to sell the full-length,
extended edition, at about 100pp.. for reasons of its size alone (photocopying &
mailing expenses running over $25) • Local group is showing renewed interest in
Pascal programming and work on a simplified compiler (NOT BASICnor Pascal y but a
sort of development system macro language) is continuing for the ZX-8l/TS1000.The
QL is still being advertised at US$100 (by Sharp's). New ZX-31 kits are still
available too from one supplier. The Z-88 notebook computer still looks good in
comparison to its latecomer competitors. Commodore 64 and Tandy 1000 H? computers
are almost being dumped on the market at bargain basement boxing day time specials
(C-64, $169, Tandy $399). The computer revolution is seeing a new round of dis-
counting of the cheaper models and an increase in sophistication in the $1000-
$3000 models. Even Macintoshes are penetrating the $2000 price barrier in Canada,,
Faster modems at 2400 bps are being seen in stores, Radio Shack is calling its
30236 MS DOS computer its most popular beginner's model (though it is not AT com-
patible) and laser printers have reached the small business/ serious amateur price
ranges. In the big leagues, the slowness of OS/2 to reach its intended place in the
market and the IBM PS/2 computers to become the new standard, once touted as the
success stories of the forseeable future has again proven that the future isn't
forseeable at all. '.This year is also the tenth anniversary of the release of the
Sinclair ZX-30 and the start of the Sinclair saga in computing.

Mailing list updates: Harrisburg Area TSUG (HATS) may be deleted from our
lists since the Dec, 1989 was the final newsletter and notification of disolution
of the group. Former members will operate through the Washington, DC group (CATS).
A new listing in the Computer Shopper has alerted us to the existence of Quantuum
Leap User Group, c/ o Gale Henslee?44H 2nd Ave . ,Amarillo, TX.USA 79106. The
Dallas/ Fort Worth users are still going strong altho they don't appear to be still
issuing a newsletter to exchange with other groups. They support especially the
Aerco TS2063 disk system and the CP/M compatible RP/M operating system.

News from SNUG is that due to the illness of a member' s wife and personal situat-
ions of others involved in the group, work on the newsletter has been delayed and
all memberships have as a consequence been extended 6 months (that is into 1990).
Looks like they will soon have a really terrifically large public domain program
library for the QL,TS2068 and TS1000, but they are still looking for more donat-
ions of programs for it. It looks like a good way to consolidate the libraries of
the local user groups who have tried on a limited basis to amass such programs.

ZX-31/ TS10CQ Tips: Instead of PAUSE 200 try PAUSE COLE "COS" to save memory. When
making a copy of your program on tape (without data) redimension arrays, by for ex-
ample DIM A$( 0,0) to save memory and loading/' saving time, then on program execution,
redimension them properly to restart the program. A good place to place the DIM
statement (or GOSUB to more than one DIM statement) to redimension the arrays
properly is line 0. In line zero, a RUN statement will redimension the array and
clear it (the RUN would clear it anyway) but a GOTO 1 (used to restart without
clearing array data) won't call the redimensioning (which would clear the data).

_.P»-2--I^2iiri29Q>iJ§n.l

Published-Program Survey of Newsletters: Dominoes-ZX-8l m/ c, BASIC line trace

ZX-8I, Vector Screen Calculator ZX-81 BASIC all in Dec .89- Vancouver TSUG N/L

...octal/decimal conversion ZX-81 m/c, S incus, Johnson City, NY N/L„ (Nov-Dec , 89] I. .
. . . ,m/ c utilities to break any program caught in a loop, to ignore BREAK command,
invert screen attributes, scroll the screen line to left and wrap it around to
next line, to flip the screen (horiz. or vert.) TS2068 m/ c -Boston Comp. Soc.,
Sept-Oct n/ 1 (note: the TSUG there has recently broken off from Boston Comp. Soc.)
...USA Medicare Income Tax TS2068 BASIC, in Harrisburg TSUG n/l Sept. 89. . . .TS2068
State Lotto program, Aug & Sept, 89 SMUG n/l, Milwaulkee. . . .cryto demo TS 2068, BASIC
and Chaos Demo, Oct. 89 Vancouver TSUG N/L..... Cube-It (TS2068 game) ,LasVegas, n/l
Jan., 1990...

An excellent series of assembly language articles with sample routines is
being run these days in the Vancouver TSUG N/L. The articles, by V. Lee, are on
Z-80 assembly language programming with the ZX-81/ TS1000, but should also be a
help to TS2068 users. Note that back issues of this newsletter also have articles
by Wilf Rigter on m/ c routines to speed up the ZX-81/TS1000 by modifying the dis-
play routines. Apparently using these techniques, the ZX-S1/TS1000 can be made to
run faster than by merely putting it into FAST mode. Seems like a much better way
than brute force acceleration which only boosts execution 15% when you step up the
ZX-81/TS1000 clock to ifMHz (from 3£MHz) and avoids the technical complications
(like setting fire to your tvl). And of course good m/ c or assembly language pro-
gramming speeds up programs too. So can the rewriting of BASIC routines. An 8
sec. loop was cut down to about lj sec. in one of my programs by ingenious rewrit-
ing of it to avoid going through the loop as many times and replacing looping
with straight through BASIC code (within a loop that then required fewer times
through the looping).

N/L Hardware articles continue to appear although the Z-88 cable articles^in
HATS; and the increasing attention given to QL modifications, are starting to re-
place ZX-81/TS1000/TS2068 modifications. The writer hopes to print a lot of tips
for hardware modifications of the ZX-81/TS1000 in the next pages of the 'Tips,
Tricks and Techniques from the User Group Masters for the ZX-83/ TS1Q00T oooKiet.
This should become an excellent source of info and references for both the old and
new ZX-81/TS1000 user. (Yes, new users are coming to the user groups looking for
ZX-81/TS1000 lore. They are mainly young students seeking a low cost computer to
practice the things they are being taught in school about computers since the
hands-on practice sessions at school are often not quite long enough for them.)
The writer thinks that not only is the ZX-81/TS1000 a good platform for control-
ler projects like burglar alarm monitors but also a natural as the intelligent
part of eprom or other programmable chip programmers. One user has made a short
ZX-S1/TS1000 board, with only the ROM, RAM and eprom (no ULA , keyboard or video)
so that programs debugged and developed on the full ZX-81/TS1000 can be used on
the short board, run from an eprom, rather than a full ZX-8 ,/TS1000. It.' s been it
is said by Donald Lambert of the CRAGIST, used to take pictures from a kite. So
there is lots of potential left for hardware hackers in the old ZX-81/TS 1000. Tip
from Donald Lambert for TS2068 LOAD problems caused by heat: take off all unneces-
sary accessories off . the bus/ expansion. Also mentioned is an audio xformer tip pas-
sea on from Dave Solly, 0ttawa,f or_tnj.s_£asse tte_loa d problem. (S incus n/l, Dec. 89)

Aerco TS2Q68 disk system users may be interested in the LKDOS Cartridge i/ f for
that system, V/ith an FD-68 it gives Larken DOS & Extended BASIC commands incl.
WERGE. You can switch between the Aerco & LKDOS so you can still use RP/K.It uses
the Aerco RAM to give you a 48K RAM disk. Cartridge is also available for Oliger
system & Ram ex. US$68 from Larken Electronics, RR$2,Navan, Ont., Canada K4B 1H$

Mazir Pashtoon of SMUG reports Cambridge North Am. in Chapt ,11-but Sharps has Z-88
still and will now be only importer_on_the bankruptcy of Cambridge . (Milwaulleejw)

A software interface for the video digitizer, for the TS2068 and the Okimate 20 dmp
sold through TOYS-R-US for>'$v9, has been produced by John McMichael , .1710 Palmer
Dr., Laramie, V/Y,USA 82070 for US$20- requires IBM parallel Plug *n Print cartridge
The product name is VideoCopy plus VideoTex.VideoTex alone avail, seoarately US$10.'
This software uses the digitizer i/ f board to capture VCR/ videocamera images that

kas-been_reyiewed_in_pas^

\n amateur publication of TS Bulletin, Bill Harmer,97 Rusk in , Ottawa ,Cnt .Can.KlY 4B3

p. 3 - No. 1-1990 (Jan.)

American Micro Systems, 2175 Aborn Rd., Suite 262, San Jose, Calif., USA 95121 has
a catalogue of QL (and Z-88) items, hardware and software, printed in TimeLinez.
Included are QL : ROM upgrades, Trump Card disk i/f ($312) IBM software emulator
"C$172), modem adapter ($69), Front Page desktop pub ($34), CP/M emulator (Success),
($69) Forth ($57), Fortran 77(fl84), Pascal( $57) ,C Language ($69) .Super-basic to
C converter (needs C compiler ) ($80) , Spell checker (30,000 word) ($68, needs extra
RAM), Discover (disk file format converter ) ($46) , Flight Sim. ($34), Astrol. ($35* )
the QL computer itself ( $129) , Lightning (acce lerator sof tware ) ( $46) ,Serv.Man. ($29)
30 meg. hard drive coming soon, JSU ROM ($19 ), membrane keybord($25) all in US} plus
Z-88 products, the Z-88 $450, PCtoZ-88 link-up($70) ,QLtoZ-88($46) ,Mac to Z-88($lll)
zterml$90J ,zBASE($120) ,Superchip( $200) ,Modem, 1200 ($130) ,32Keprom($40) plus plus ++
their phone no. is ( 408 ) 270-9730 (voice, ans. mach. )

Maxcom TS2068 BBS system for LKDOS disk users : ""Maxcom is everything and more that
TtT s chalked up to be... I've got to tell you, if you haven't gotten it as:yet,
chase those moths out of your wallet. . .Maxcom will truly make your day." from a
column in the Las Vegas TSUG newsletter by Ralph Hammer. Also mentioned is the
deluxe move utility in Maxcomm that allows transfer of files between disks, etc.
simply and effectively. RMG handles this system in the USA. Nice to hear such
good comments. Larry Kenny of Larken is also working on a desktop publisher with
spelling checker at the moment (Jan., 1990) and is marketing a plotter, engraver,
light duty plastic-router/miller that will run from an IBM PC and is also working
on Z-80 controller version of it. The software to run it has been written in
Hi-Soft Pascal on the TS2068. It will work on a 2'x2f board to a depth of 4+" . At
an Ottawa-Hull TSUG user group several years ago, a TS2068 user demo'd a system
in which a plotter applied etch-resist directly on a copper pcb for one-of-a-kind
CAD/CAM production of pc boards, automatically. There is obviously lots that can
still be done with the old Timex-Sinclairr s. When the writer moves his old ZX-81
out of the computer den it will be going to the basement, electronics workshop for
use in eprom blasting/ controller experiments. These old models serve on, and on...

Fix for Timema chine BASIC compiler , " change* POKE s in line 106 from 32380 to 33880,
by HL Schaaf printed in Aug. 89, CATS & Dec., 1989 Timelinez. . . .

TDM Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 2 issued finally, contact TDM BBS at 503-244-2658 (8/l/n)

Jack Dohany has upgraded MScript to version 5.5 according to D .Lambert , CRAGIST

TSlQOO's still available-contact Gary Young, 586 9th Ave . .Marion, IA , US A 52302-cheap
working ones or bad keyboard ones avail., ram packs (16K) and progs, can be incl.

Article on using an audio transformer 'as'a'cassette load aid ( TS 1000/ TS 2068 ) in
Aug-Dec. ,1989 issue of Cragist,D. Lambert, 31TCT Clover Dr. S , Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Source code for TreeFORTH (a romable, TS1000, slightly non-standard FORTH) has been
released for non-commercial use by author Bob Alsum. A TS1500 with Tree FORTH in
ROM has turned up on the surplus market, D. Lambert , CRAGIST , reports.

Disk Library, TS2063 disk utilities program ( search , list , delete , update, sort etc.)
has been created by RA Hilsman,POB 45, Menomonee Falls, V/I,USA 53051 and is avail,
on cassette for US$5 (or possibly slightly more mailed to Canada/ for .). It is for
the TS2068 Oliger system but probably can be adpated for other disk systems by the
programmer/ hacker. Mentioned in Sincus n/ 1 Jan. 90 & SMUG n/l Apr. ,1988

5 incus N/L from 1229 Rhodes Rd. , Johnson City, NY, USA 13790 continues to run lists
of TS2068 ROM routines listed dif f ererit ^ways t sorted and compared with Spectrum.

Don Lamen of Sincus continues to submit articles on TS1000 programming, mainly m/ c
to Sincus n/l and it is nice to see the TS1000 still receiving support like that.

Computer Shopper has discontinued articles on Commodore 64, Sinclair, TI, Atari 8- bit

much to our disappointment. Latter Sinclair articles were really good. Not much
reason for me to buy it anymore except for hardware adverts re -PC clones. User Gp.
listings continue however &, Sinclair Gps. will pop up listed tnere.

Published as an amateur venture by Bill Harmer, 97 Ruskin St., Ottawa, Ont.t Canada
K1Y 4B3 . Don't hack , promise , send money or buy without checking info in this n/l
with a second, independently qualified source. Ycu may photocopy freely for friends.

Dear Les,

" unc-Lin* Pius a copy of you, NHI-F routine to get back to the Autostart file in the

?*T' " " 1 m lt tD U5E 151 m °mitm fUe ^ 15 « Autostart. Enclosed i, * mouVf

a latter I have just done to George and I thought you tight like to read through the things I did. "

Hy wife and I are spending the a inter just south of Ta»Pa in a Place called Sun Cifu rppfpr- uhprp *> >™ r«f-- «~ h£
last four years. The weather is certainly hard to beat! " "°¥C renteg tlJf the

I «s interested in your use of the RAMDiSK to do letters etc while at lunch at your job at Kennedy Spare t cS«

that you are using Hscript and that's .hat 1 use for ,ost of m letters etc. It is m,i better tha r^'^W £
aoouf as good as any word processor you would want. " ** Ju=-

You do a lot with just two chips and I suppose you will add some more hpfnrp Inno Sporae sau- fhpr« — «
sm chins and tMt one kind «« sort of refresh circuit built in £ chafis S« £
,aur chips I got hays g,ven is a fa, CRC errors as I explain in m letter to hi. but I still feel that r4f o'f Sy "
Problem are ««. the edge connectors, I have tried to clean the, .ith eae Tuner Clearer f™ Radio Shart'buf ^
have the, clean yet. Do sou have any thoughts on this .atter. Ky first four chips are 62256LP-15 »h, e h'he test

rour Piggy-hacked onto the first are 62256ALP10/5I257L1G,

'our use of a lithium battery is interesting; Seorge aid the .on putting on the sockets on m board and found he had to
raise the voltage so he added a third m battery. Larry Kenny uas a bit surprised but said not to go any MgLr than

Slab you are able to sake use of the Tasort routine that I urate some ti«e ago. 1 use it quite a bit and .bile I have a
sirniar progra, for Hscnpt, I usually use Tas»rd for lists since Tasort is easier to use. Vau «nuld a 4 to i C*4d
in ,y retarks about proving ,y index progra,; that is a ton, terS project, I expect. It all depends otLther 1
Cra.tord can com up (nth a suitable DELETE routine. J

By the .ay, if you are interested in getting into bank-s.itching, I can send you .hat 1 have. With toe chins *»■ ran
nandie an awrul lot of data. ~ "

What are you going to do for 2040 Paper now that Radio Shack in the U.S. are phasing theirs out.

jtell, I'll dose this off. One final word? we Survivors are now finding that the dubs are thp m\u «*, le** *0 uB ,h]ff
to expand our use of the 2068 and fro, m experience, the horizon never see,s to get any cLer

Best regards.

302 CANTON COURT #56
SUN CITY CENTER PL 33573
DATE' 9QQ226

Dear

Received your letter along with the delayed Sine-Link and the copy of the m/c routine to put an NHI-F autoload feature
into a menu. I did some mrk on the latter. I enclose the results of my work. Here's what I've done. I typed in the code
you sent me and loaded it temporarily into addresses 56100 to 56164= Then I used the BASIC routine to POKE it into the
area in LKDOS 16310 and up. Tried it and of course it did not work. Bo I loaded Monitor and took a look at the
disassembly and spotted the problem at address 56115/6. Had to change the LD HL to 16365 to go with starting the code at
16310= This so it yould not conflict with other code that I park there for Graphics printing and other things.

Then 1 decided to load the code from ay disk from 56100 to the free area in 2068 RAH (which starts at 24311) and I used
the area 24495 to 24560= I have other stuff parked in other parts of this free area. The beauty of this is that once the
code is loaded into this free area it gets saved with an Autostart save and is there for keeps. It Bill not be saved
with a standard SAVE < Houever, it mill always be necessary to POKE it into the LKDOS RAM on power up. 1 think the delay
once on power up is tolerable. However? an LD1R could be added but I leave that up to you.

Noui the next thing mas to stop the poking action after it had been done once at power up. 1 did this by finding the
value of address 16310 (line 11) and charting whether it iuas 123 (line 32). The value 123 is the value of the first
address in the code. Finally? just in case the LKDOS address 8214 gets changed. I put in a line <41> to restore the
value to 16310. So take a look at the sheet enclosed and 1 think that I've covered everything.

Checked a lot of programs and NMI-F worked fine except the following:
Timachinei had to use RAND USR 0 then NMI-F i
Spectrum Emulator; had to use OUT 244,0s OUT 7,8 then NMI-F.

I see that I sent some input to you for Sine-link done on Pixel Print Press which had some definitions which I culled
from a new Computer Dictionary I bought down here. So there is no panic to write anything for the next issue.

Larry Crawford and 1 are corresponding on the bank-swtiching exercise and gradually getting it smoothed out. We still
need a good DELETE routine so that I can use the data-base for my Disk Indexer and so that it will hold more than the
current 1400 record limit. Besides I want to put in a few extra bytes in each record to allow for a brief description of
the record? seeing that the file names sometimes get pretty cryptic,

I m still getting the odd CRC error on the RAMdisk but they are rather rare and only seen, to happen when I are
experimenting? then they can appear on any tracks on any of the chips (but never the first four chips)? usually only one
or two tracks but sometimes as many as the whole six of one chip. The write protect switch is no deterrent. The CRC
errors never seem to appear when I am saving to RAMdisk or on power up. I am puzzled but it only takes a few moments to
load m the RAMdisk from a disk so it's not much of a problem. However? I've written to Jameco about it.

Re Ariel Fralich, what happened to the rights to T Machine? Does Cameron Hayne still have a copyright on it? And where
is Cameron anyway7 I'd like to know why we can't get a COMPLETE copy of the output of Timachine on the wide printer. He

might have a fix far that.

Pi off to Tampa on Tuesday and will pick up the daisywheel during that trip.

I'll send a copy of ail this to Les Cottrell in Cocoa and thank him for doing the routine.

Best regards?

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Texts

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "Sinc Link"

See other formats